KR100919189B1 - Seal pattern structure of liquid crystal display panel - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel. When the air path is formed at a corner of a seal pattern surrounding an outer edge of an image display unit, the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate are bonded in a subsequent bonding process. The liquid crystal dropped on the first mother substrate or the second mother substrate spreads out to the edges of the image display unit along the air path of the seal pattern, and also to alleviate the pressure difference inside and outside the image display unit to reduce the pressure difference between the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of torsion in the bonding of the mother substrate.

Description

Seal pattern structure of liquid crystal display panel {SEAL PATTERN STRUCTURE OF LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY PANEL}

The present invention relates to a seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel, and more particularly, to a seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel in which a liquid crystal layer formed through a dropping method can be uniformly distributed over the entire image display area. .

In general, a liquid crystal display device displays a desired image by individually supplying data signals according to image information to liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix form, and adjusting a light transmittance of the liquid crystal cells. to be.

Accordingly, the liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel in which liquid crystal cells in pixel units are arranged in a matrix form; And a driver integrated circuit (IC) for driving the liquid crystal cells.

The liquid crystal display panel includes a color filter substrate and a thin film transistor array substrate facing each other, and a liquid crystal layer filled in a spaced interval between the color filter substrate and the thin film transistor array substrate.

On the thin film transistor array substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, a plurality of data lines for transmitting a data signal supplied from a data driver integrated circuit to the liquid crystal cells and a scan signal supplied from the gate driver integrated circuit to the liquid crystal cells The plurality of gate lines are orthogonal to each other, and liquid crystal cells are defined at each intersection of these data lines and the gate lines.

The gate driver integrated circuit sequentially supplies scan signals to a plurality of gate lines so that the liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix form are sequentially selected one by one, and the data driver integrated circuit is included in the selected one line of liquid crystal cells. The data signal is supplied from.

Meanwhile, a common electrode and a pixel electrode are formed on opposite inner surfaces of the color filter substrate and the thin film transistor array substrate to apply an electric field to the liquid crystal layer. In this case, the pixel electrode is formed for each liquid crystal cell on the thin film transistor array substrate, while the common electrode is integrally formed on the entire surface of the color filter substrate. Therefore, by controlling the voltage applied to the pixel electrode in a state where a voltage is applied to the common electrode, it is possible to individually control the light transmittance of the liquid crystal cells.

As described above, in order to control the voltage applied to the pixel electrode for each liquid crystal cell, a thin film transistor used as a switching element is formed in each liquid crystal cell.

The components of the liquid crystal display as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary view illustrating a schematic planar structure of a unit liquid crystal display panel in which a thin film transistor array substrate and a color filter substrate of a liquid crystal display are bonded to each other.

Referring to FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display panel 100 includes an image display unit 113 in which liquid crystal cells are arranged in a matrix, a gate pad unit 114 and a data line connected to gate lines of the image display unit 113. And a data pad portion 115 connected to the data. In this case, the gate pad part 114 and the data pad part 115 are formed in an edge region of the thin film transistor array substrate 101 which does not overlap the color filter substrate 102, and the gate pad part 114 is a gate driver integrated. The scan signal supplied from the circuit is supplied to the gate lines of the image display unit 113, and the data pad unit 115 supplies the image information supplied from the data driver integrated circuit to the data lines of the image display unit 113.

In the thin film transistor array substrate 101 of the image display unit 113, data lines to which image information is applied and gate lines to which a scan signal is applied are vertically intersected with each other, and a thin film for switching liquid crystal cells at an intersection thereof. A transistor, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor to drive a liquid crystal cell, and a protective film formed on the front surface to protect such an electrode and the thin film transistor are provided.

The color filter substrate 102 of the image display unit 113 includes color filters separated and applied to each cell region by a black matrix, and a common transparent electrode serving as a counter electrode of a pixel electrode formed on the thin film transistor array substrate 101. It is provided.

The thin film transistor array substrate 101 and the color filter substrate 102 configured as described above are provided with a cell-gap so as to be uniformly spaced apart by a spacer, and an outer portion of the image display unit 113. The seal patterns 116 are bonded to each other to form a unit liquid crystal display panel.

In fabricating the unit liquid crystal display panel as described above, a method of simultaneously forming a plurality of unit liquid crystal display panels on a large area mother substrate is generally applied to improve the yield. Accordingly, a process of separating and processing unit liquid crystal display panels from a large area mother substrate by cutting and processing a mother substrate on which the plurality of liquid crystal display panels are manufactured is required.

A liquid crystal layer is formed in a unit liquid crystal display panel separated from the large-area mother substrate by forming a liquid crystal layer in a cell gap where the thin film transistor array substrate 101 and the color filter substrate 102 are separated by injecting liquid crystal through a liquid crystal injection hole. Seal the liquid crystal inlet.

In order to fabricate the unit liquid crystal display panel as described above, the thin film transistor array substrate 101 and the color filter substrate 102 are largely manufactured separately, and the thin film transistor array substrate 101 and the color filter substrate 102 are uniformly formed. A process of bonding the cell-gap to be maintained and then cutting the unit liquid crystal panel and injecting the liquid crystal is required.

In particular, in order to bond the thin film transistor array substrate 101 and the color filter substrate 102 to each other, a process of forming the seal pattern 116 outside the image display unit 113 is required, and the conventional seal pattern 116 is required. The formation method will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2A and 2B are exemplary views of a screen printing method for forming a yarn pattern, and as shown therein, a screen mask patterned to selectively expose a region where a plurality of yarn patterns 216A to 216F are formed. 206 and a rubber roller 208 for simultaneously supplying a sealant 203 to the substrate 200 through the screen mask 206 to simultaneously form a plurality of seal patterns 216A to 216F. It is provided.

The plurality of seal patterns 216A to 216F formed on the substrate 200 provide a gap in which a liquid crystal layer can be formed, and prevent the liquid crystal from leaking out of the image display units 213A to 213F. Accordingly, the plurality of seal patterns 216A through 216F are formed along edges of the image display units 213A through 213F of the substrate 200, and one side thereof is opened to form the liquid crystal injection holes 204A through 204F.

In the screen printing method as described above, the sealant 203 is coated on the screen mask 206 on which the plurality of seal patterns 216A to 216F are formed, and the substrate 200 is printed by a rubber roller 208. Forming a plurality of yarn patterns 216A to 216F on the substrate, and a drying step of evaporating and leveling the solvent contained in the plurality of yarn patterns 216A to 216F.

The screen printing method is generally used because of excellent process convenience, but the sealant 203 is coated on the front surface of the screen mask 206 and printed with a rubber roller 208 to print a plurality of seal patterns 216A to 216F. By simultaneously forming them, there is a disadvantage in that the consumption of the sealant 203 increases.

In addition, as the screen mask 206 and the substrate 200 come into contact with each other, a rubbing of an alignment layer (not shown) formed on the substrate 200 may occur, thereby degrading the image quality of the liquid crystal display. .

Therefore, a seal dispensing method has been proposed to compensate for the shortcomings of the screen printing method as described above.

3 is an exemplary diagram of a seal dispensing method for forming a seal pattern. As shown in FIG. 3, a sealant-filled syringe is moved while moving the table 310 loaded with the substrate 300 in the front, rear, left, and right directions. By applying a constant pressure to the 301A to 301C, the seal patterns 316A to 316F are formed along the edges of the image display portions 313A to 313F formed on the substrate 300. At this time, the seal patterns 316A to 316F are sequentially formed in units of rows of the image display units 313A to 313F, and one side thereof is opened to form the liquid crystal injection holes 304A to 304F.

The seal dispensing method can reduce the consumption of the sealant by selectively supplying the sealant only to the regions where the seal patterns 316A to 316F are to be formed, and also the syringes 301A to 301C and the image display units 313A to 313F. Since they are not in contact with each other, poor rubbing of the alignment layer (not shown) can be prevented, thereby improving image quality of the liquid crystal display.

Meanwhile, one side of the seal patterns 216A to 216F and 316A to 316F formed by the screen printing method or the yarn dispensing method is opened to provide liquid crystal injection holes 204A to 204F and 304A to 304F. This may vary depending on a method of forming a liquid crystal layer on the liquid crystal display panel, that is, a vacuum injection method and a dropping method.

First, in the vacuum injection method, a liquid crystal injection hole of a unit liquid crystal display panel separated from a large area mother substrate is immersed in a container filled with liquid crystal in a chamber in which a constant vacuum is set, and then the degree of vacuum is changed, thereby allowing the inside and outside of the liquid crystal display panel to be changed. The liquid crystal is injected into the liquid crystal display panel by the pressure difference. When the liquid crystal is filled in the liquid crystal display panel in this manner, the liquid crystal injection hole is sealed to form the liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display panel.

Therefore, when the liquid crystal layer is formed in the liquid crystal display panel through a vacuum injection method, a portion of the seal patterns 216A through 216F and 316A through 316F are opened as shown in FIGS. 2A and 3 to open the liquid crystal injection hole. (204A-204F) and (304A-304F) should be formed.

However, the vacuum injection method as described above has the following problems.

First, it takes a very long time to fill the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal display panel. In general, since the bonded liquid crystal display panel has a gap of about several μm in an area of several hundred cm 2, even if a vacuum injection method using a pressure difference is applied, the amount of liquid crystal injected per unit time is very small. For example, when a liquid crystal display panel of about 15 inches is manufactured, it takes about 8 hours to fill a liquid crystal, and thus, a large amount of time is required to manufacture the liquid crystal display panel, thereby decreasing productivity. In addition, as the size of the liquid crystal display panel increases in size, the time required for filling the liquid crystal becomes longer, resulting in poor filling of the liquid crystal, and as a result, the size of the liquid crystal display panel cannot be coped with.

Second, the consumption of liquid crystals is high. In general, the amount of liquid crystal actually injected into the liquid crystal display panel is very small compared to the amount of liquid crystal filled in the container, and when the liquid crystal is exposed to the atmosphere or a specific gas, it reacts with the gas and deteriorates. Therefore, even if the liquid crystal filled in the container is filled in a plurality of liquid crystal display panels, a large amount of liquid crystals remaining after the filling should be discarded. As such, the expensive liquid crystals are discarded, resulting in an increase in the cost of the liquid crystal display panel. This is a factor that weakens price competitiveness.

In order to overcome the problems of the vacuum injection method as described above, the dropping method has recently been applied.

The dropping method includes dropping and dispensing liquid crystal in an image display area of a large area first mother substrate on which a plurality of thin film transistor array substrates are fabricated or a large area second mother substrate on which a plurality of color filter substrates are fabricated. The liquid crystal layer is formed by uniformly distributing the liquid crystals to the entire image display area by the pressure for bonding the first and second mother substrates.

That is, when the liquid crystal layer is formed on the liquid crystal display panel by dropping, since the liquid crystal is not directly charged from the outside but is directly dropped on the substrate, the seal patterns 416A to 416F are formed as shown in FIG. In order to prevent the liquid crystal from leaking out of the image display parts 413A to 413F formed on the substrate 400, the liquid crystal may be formed in a closed pattern surrounding the outside of the image display parts 413A to 413F.

The dropping method can form a liquid crystal in a shorter time than a vacuum injection method, and can form a liquid crystal layer very quickly even when the liquid crystal display panel is enlarged.

In addition, since only the required amount of liquid crystal is dropped on the substrate, the price competitiveness of the liquid crystal display panel due to the disposal of the expensive liquid crystal is prevented, such as a vacuum injection method, thereby enhancing the price competitiveness of the product.

Unlike the vacuum injection method, the liquid crystal display panel to which the drop method is applied has a large area first mother substrate on which a plurality of thin film transistor array substrates are manufactured and a large area second mother substrate on which a plurality of color filter substrates are manufactured after the liquid crystal layer is formed. The process of adhering and separating a unit liquid crystal panel is advanced.

When the liquid crystal layer is formed through the dropping method as described above, the liquid crystal is dropped on the first mother substrate or the second mother substrate, the closed seal patterns surrounding the image display parts are formed, and then the first mother substrate. And the process of bonding the second mother substrate is in progress.

However, since the closed seal patterns do not have an air path, when the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate are bonded together, the liquid crystals dropped on the first mother substrate or the second mother substrate are at the edges of the image display units. It can't spread out.

Therefore, there is a problem that the liquid crystal layer is not formed in the corner regions of the image display units.

In addition, since the closed seal patterns have no air path, when the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate are bonded to each other, the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the image display unit may cause the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate. There is a problem that the torsion occurs in the bonding and the liquid crystal display panel is a defective factor.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display panel that can uniformly distribute the liquid crystal layer formed by the dropping method over the entire image display area. To provide a real pattern structure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel which can prevent distortion of bonding of the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate on which the liquid crystal layer is formed through a dropping method.

The seal pattern structure of the liquid crystal display panel for achieving the object of the present invention comprises a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides surrounding the outside of the image display portion formed on the substrate; It characterized in that it is configured to include a protruding portion of the long side and the protruding portion of the short side to be engaged in a concave-convex shape so that the corner where the long side and the short side meet.

The seal pattern structure of the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention as described above will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5 is an exemplary view showing a seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, a plurality of image display units 513A to 513F are formed on the substrate 500, and seal patterns 516A to 516F surrounding the image display units 513A to 513F are provided.

The seal patterns 516A to 516F have a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides facing each other so as to surround the outside of the image display units 513A to 513F, and corners where the long sides and the short sides meet each other are as shown in the partial enlarged view. The long side protrusion 520A and the short side protrusion 530A which are engaged with the concave-convex shape so that the corner where the long side 520 and the short side 530 meet are uniformly spaced are provided.

Accordingly, an air path is formed along a path in which the long side protrusion 520A and the short side protrusion 530A are bent apart from each other.

6 illustrates an enlarged view of a seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, corners where the long side 620 and the short side 630 meet are uniformly spaced apart from each other. The long side protrusion 620A and the first and second short side protrusions 630A and 630B may be provided to be engaged with each other in an uneven form.

Accordingly, an air path is formed along a path where the long side protrusion 620A and the first and second short side protrusions 630A and 630B are spaced apart from each other.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the long side protrusion 620A is provided on the long side 620 at the edge where the long side 620 and the short side 630 meet, and the first and second short side protrusions 630A on the short side 630. The second and second short side protrusions 630A and 630B may be provided on the long side 620, and the long side protrusion 620A may be provided on the short side 630.

As described above, the seal pattern structure of the liquid crystal display panel according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention is formed in the corner of the seal pattern surrounding the outer edge of the image display unit. When the second mother substrate is bonded to each other, the liquid crystal dropped on the first mother substrate or the second mother substrate spreads out to the edge of the image display unit along the air path of the seal pattern.

Therefore, the liquid crystal layer is evenly distributed in the corner region of the image display unit, thereby preventing the deterioration of the image quality of the liquid crystal display device.

In addition, as the air path is formed at the edges of the seal pattern surrounding the image display unit, when the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate are bonded in a subsequent bonding process, the pressure difference between the image display unit and the outside may be alleviated. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of distortion in the bonding between the mother substrate and the second mother substrate.

Therefore, it is possible to reduce the defective factor of the liquid crystal display device.

Since the seal pattern is pressed due to physical pressure due to the bonding of the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate, when the bonding of the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate is completed, the edges of the seal pattern are closed to allow the air path to be closed. By blocking, the inside of the image display part of a liquid crystal display panel can be maintained in a vacuum state.

Meanwhile, when the seal pattern is formed of a thermosetting sealant, when the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate are vacuum-bonded and thermally cured, the sealant may flow out while the sealant is heated to contaminate the dropped liquid crystal. Therefore, it is preferable to apply an ultraviolet curable sealant to the seal pattern, or a sealant in which an ultraviolet curable sealant and a heat curable sealant are mixed.

As described above, in the seal pattern structure of the liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention, when the air path is formed at the edge of the seal pattern surrounding the outer edge of the image display unit, the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate are bonded in a subsequent bonding process. Since the liquid crystal dropped on the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate is spread out along the air path of the seal pattern to the corners of the image display unit, the liquid crystal layer is evenly distributed in the corner region of the image display unit, thereby degrading the image quality of the liquid crystal display device. In addition, the pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the image display unit can be alleviated, thereby suppressing the occurrence of distortion in the bonding between the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate. It can be effective.

1 is an exemplary view showing a schematic planar structure of a unit liquid crystal display panel in which a thin film transistor array substrate and a color filter substrate of a liquid crystal display are bonded to each other.

2A and 2B are exemplary views of a screen printing method for forming a seal pattern.

3 is an illustration of a yarn dispensing method for forming a yarn pattern.

4 is an exemplary view showing a conventional seal pattern formed when a liquid crystal layer is formed on a liquid crystal display panel through a dropping method.

5 is an exemplary view showing a seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

6 is an exemplary view showing a seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

*** Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing ***

500: substrate 513A-513F: image display part

516A-516F: Thread pattern 520: Long side

520A: Long side protrusion 530: Short side

530A: Short side protrusion AIR PATH: Air path

Claims (9)

A pair of long sides and a pair of short sides surrounding an outer edge of the image display unit formed on the substrate; And a long side protrusion and a short side protrusion that engage in irregularities so that corners where the long side and the short side meet each other are uniformly spaced apart. The liquid crystal display panel of claim 1, wherein the short side protrusions are provided with first and second short side protrusions spaced apart from each other, and the long side protrusions are engaged between the first and second short side protrusions. Thread pattern structure. The liquid crystal display panel of claim 1, wherein the long side protrusions are provided with first and second long side protrusions spaced apart from each other, and the short side protrusions are engaged between the first and second long side protrusions. Thread pattern structure. The seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel according to claim 1, wherein the seal pattern is an ultraviolet curable sealant. The seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel according to claim 1, wherein the seal pattern is a sealant obtained by mixing an ultraviolet curable sealant and a thermosetting sealant. The liquid crystal structure of a liquid crystal display panel according to claim 1, wherein liquid crystal is dropped on the substrate. The seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel according to claim 1, further comprising a separate substrate bonded to the substrate. 8. The seal pattern structure of a liquid crystal display panel according to claim 7, wherein liquid crystal is dropped on the separate substrate. The seal pattern structure of claim 7, wherein an edge where the long side and the short side of the seal pattern meet is closed when the seal pattern formed on the substrate is bonded to a separate substrate.