KR20070068177A - Apparatus for forming alignment film of liquid crystal display device - Google Patents

Abstract

An alignment film forming apparatus of an LCD(Liquid Crystal Display) is provided to form an alignment film with uniform thickness and to prevent a spot of the alignment film from being generated. The first and second rolls(120,130) are engaged with each other and rotated. An alignment solution coating device(110) supplies the alignment solution on the first roll by contacting with the first roll and simultaneously coats the alignment solution supplied to the first roll uniformly. The alignment solution coating device includes the first and second holder plates engaged and fixed with each other. A blade is interposed between the first and second holder plates. An alignment solution injection hole is formed at the inside of the first holder plate. An alignment solution supply slit is connected with the alignment solution injection hole and supplies the alignment solution along the blade.

Description

Alignment film forming apparatus for liquid crystal display device {APPARATUS FOR FORMING ALIGNMENT FILM OF LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE}

1 is a cross-sectional view of a general liquid crystal display device.

2 is a flowchart showing a conventional method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device.

3 is a view showing the configuration of a conventional alignment film forming apparatus.

4 and 5 are views showing the configuration of the alignment film forming apparatus of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.

6 is a view showing the configuration of an alignment liquid applicator of the alignment film forming apparatus according to the present invention.

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

110: alignment liquid applicator 112: alignment liquid injection slit

115: blade 117: alignment liquid injection hole

120: anilox roll 125: rubber sheet

130: printing roll 150: alignment liquid reservoir

151: alignment liquid supply pipe 160: substrate

The present invention relates to an alignment film forming apparatus for a liquid crystal display device, and to provide an alignment film forming device for a liquid crystal display device in which an alignment film having a uniform thickness can be formed and staining can be prevented.

Recently, with the development of various portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, PDAs, and notebook computers, there is a growing demand for flat panel display devices for light and thin applications. Such flat panel displays are being actively researched, such as LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), PDP (Plasma Display Panel), FED (Field Emission Display), VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display), but mass production technology, ease of driving means, Liquid crystal display devices (LCDs) are in the spotlight for reasons of implementation.

1 schematically illustrates a cross section of a general liquid crystal display device. As shown in the figure, the liquid crystal display device 1 is composed of a lower substrate 5 and an upper substrate 3 and a liquid crystal layer 7 formed between the lower substrate 5 and the upper substrate 3. . Although the lower substrate 5 is a driving element array substrate, although not shown in the drawing, a plurality of pixels are formed on the lower substrate 5, and each pixel is driven such as a thin film transistor. An element is formed. The upper substrate 3 is a color filter substrate, and a color filter layer for real color is formed. In addition, a pixel electrode and a common electrode are formed on the lower substrate 5 and the upper substrate 3, respectively, and an alignment film for aligning liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 7 is coated.

The lower substrate 5 and the upper substrate 3 are bonded by a sealing material 9, and a liquid crystal layer 7 is formed therebetween, and is driven by a driving element formed on the lower substrate 5. Information is displayed by controlling the amount of light passing through the liquid crystal layer by driving the liquid crystal molecules.

The manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display device can be largely divided into a driving element array substrate process of forming a driving element on the lower substrate 5, a color filter substrate process of forming a color filter on the upper substrate 3, and a cell process. However, the process of the liquid crystal display will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

First, a plurality of gate lines and data lines which are arranged on the lower substrate 5 to define a pixel region are formed by a driving element array process, and the gate line and the data are formed in each of the pixel regions. A thin film transistor which is a driving element connected to the line is formed (S101). In addition, the pixel electrode is connected to the thin film transistor through the driving element array process to drive the liquid crystal layer as a signal is applied through the thin film transistor.

In addition, the upper substrate 3 is formed with a color filter layer and a common electrode of R, G, B to implement the color by the color filter process (S104).

Subsequently, an alignment layer is applied to the upper substrate 3 and the lower substrate 5, respectively, and then the alignment control force or surface fixing force (ie, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer formed between the upper substrate 3 and the lower substrate 5). In order to provide a pretilt angle and an orientation direction, the alignment layer is rubbed (S102 and S105). Subsequently, a spacer is disposed on the lower substrate 5 to maintain a constant cell gap, and a sealing material is applied to an outer portion of the upper substrate 3. Then, the lower substrate 5 and the upper substrate are dispersed. Pressure is applied to (3), and it adheres (S103, S106, S107). On the other hand, the lower substrate 5 and the upper substrate 3 is made of a large area glass substrate. In other words, a plurality of panel regions are formed on a large area glass substrate, and a TFT and a color filter layer, which are driving elements, are formed in each of the panel regions. Must be processed (S108). Thereafter, the liquid crystal is injected into the liquid crystal panel processed as described above through the liquid crystal inlet, and the liquid crystal inlet is encapsulated to form a liquid crystal layer. Then, the liquid crystal display is manufactured by inspecting each liquid crystal panel (S109 and S110). .

The liquid crystal display device manufactured through the above process utilizes the electro-optic effect of the liquid crystal. The electro-optic effect is determined by the anisotropy of the liquid crystal itself and the molecular arrangement state of the liquid crystal. It will greatly affect the stabilization of the display quality of the liquid crystal display device.

Therefore, the alignment film forming process for more effectively aligning the liquid crystal molecules is very important in relation to the image quality characteristics in the liquid crystal cell process, and the roll printing method is widely used for the alignment film process.

3 is a view showing a conventional method of forming an alignment film using a roll printing method. As shown in the figure, alignment film printing uses a plurality of rolls. In other words, the annealing roll 22 supplied between the cylindrical anneal roll 22 and the doctor roll 23 is rotated as the anneal roll 22 and the doctor roll 23 rotate. Evenly spread over. At this time, the supply of the alignment liquid 24 is made by the dispenser 21 in the form of a syringe.

On the other hand, when the anneal roll 22 is rotated in contact with the printing roll 24 having the rubber plate 25 attached to a predetermined area of the surface, the alignment liquid on the surface of the anneal roll 22 is moved to the rubber plate 25. Is transferred. The rubber plate 25 corresponds to the substrate 26 to which the alignment liquid is to be applied. As the printing table 27 on which the substrate 26 is mounted moves in contact with the printing roll 24, the alignment liquid transferred to the rubber plate 25 is retransferred onto the substrate 26 to form an alignment film. Usually, the thickness of the alignment film is about 500 ~ 1000Å and on the same substrate, even if the thickness is about 100Å, defects such as unevenness due to the unevenness of the alignment may be generated on the LCD screen. The characteristics of the screen will be influenced.

However, the conventional alignment film forming apparatus configured as described above forms an alignment film having a uniform thickness because the dispenser 21 supplies the alignment liquid on the anilox roll 22 while moving from side to side on the anilox roll 22. There was a limit to this, and in particular, as the substrate became larger, it became more difficult to uniformly apply the alignment layer.

In addition, staining occurs in the annealing roll 22 during printing in accordance with the change of the position at which the alignment liquid is injected, and the stain formed on the annealing roll 22 is transferred to the rubber plate 125 of the printing roll 24 as it is. There was a problem in that a face defect occurred in the alignment layer transferred onto the substrate 26 by the rubber plate 25.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an alignment film growth value of a liquid crystal display device capable of forming an alignment film of uniform thickness.

Further, another object of the present invention is to provide an alignment film forming apparatus for a liquid crystal display device capable of preventing unevenness of the alignment film.

In order to achieve the above object, the alignment layer forming apparatus of the present invention includes: first and second rolls engaged with each other; And an alignment liquid applicator in contact with the first roll to supply the alignment liquid onto the first roll and to uniformly apply the alignment liquid supplied to the surface of the first roll.

The alignment liquid applicator may include: first and second holder plates engaged with and fixed to each other; A blade interposed between the first and second holder plates; An alignment liquid injection hole formed inside the first holder plate; And an alignment liquid supplying slit connected to the alignment liquid injection hole and supplying the alignment liquid along the blade.

And an alignment liquid reservoir for supplying the alignment liquid to the first holder plate, and an alignment liquid supply pipe connecting the alignment layer injection hole of the first holder plate and the alignment liquid reservoir.

In addition, the alignment liquid forming apparatus of the present invention; An anilox roll in contact with the alignment liquid applicator to receive an alignment liquid from the alignment liquid applicator; And a printing roll which rotates in engagement with the anneal roll and transfers the alignment liquid supplied to the anneal roll onto a substrate, wherein the alignment liquid applicator comprises: first and second holder plates engaged with and fixed to each other; A blade interposed between the first holder plate and the second holder plate; An alignment liquid injection hole formed in the first holder plate; And an alignment solution supply slit connected to the alignment solution injection hole to supply the alignment solution to the anilox roll through the blade.

As described above, the present invention devises an alignment liquid applicator in which a dispenser for supplying an alignment liquid and a doctor roll are mixed, and at the same time supplying the alignment liquid from one side to the other side of the anilox roll to form a uniform alignment film, Prevent stains.

That is, in the related art, since the dispenser moved from one side to the other side of the anilox roll to supply the alignment solution, there was a limit in forming an alignment film having a uniform thickness, and as the position at which the alignment solution was injected from the dispenser was changed, There was a problem that staining occurred in the alignment liquid applied to the roll. In the present invention, however, the alignment liquid is simultaneously supplied from one side of the anilox roll to the other side through a bar-type alignment liquid applicator so that the alignment liquid is evenly applied to the surface of the aniloxol roll, thereby preventing spots from occurring. It is possible to form an alignment film having a thickness.

Hereinafter, the alignment film forming apparatus of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4 shows the configuration of the alignment film forming apparatus of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the alignment film forming apparatus 100 of the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is the first roll 120 and the second roll 130 to rotate in engagement with the alignment liquid on the first roll 120 It is configured to include an alignment liquid applicator 110 to supply a.

The first roll 120 is an anneal roll, the alignment liquid supplied from the alignment liquid applicator 110 is transferred to the first roll 120, the second roll 130 is a printing roll, the first roll It serves to retransfer the alignment liquid transferred from the roll 120 on the substrate. That is, the first roll 120 and the second roll 130 are engaged with each other to rotate, and the first roll 120 is engaged with the second roll 130 to rotate, and the alignment liquid applicator 110 ) Is transferred to the surface of the second roll (130). In this case, a rubber plate 125 is formed on the surface of the second roll 130, and the alignment liquid is transferred to the surface of the rubber plate 125. The rubber plate 125 corresponds to a substrate to which the alignment liquid is to be applied, and a mask pattern is formed to selectively print the alignment layer on the substrate.

And, as shown in Figure 5, the alignment liquid transferred to the rubber plate 125 of the second roll 130, the substrate 160 loaded on the stage 170 is in contact with the second roll 130 As it moves, it is re-transferred onto the substrate 160 to form an alignment layer.

The substrate 160 is formed by a thin film transistor array process and a color filter process. In the thin film transistor array process, after preparing a transparent first substrate, a plurality of gate lines are arranged vertically and horizontally on the substrate to define pixel regions. And forming a data line, forming a thin film transistor which is a driving element connected to the gate line and the data line in each of the pixel regions, and then forming a passivation layer on the entire surface of the thin film transistor and the pixel region, and forming a transparent pixel electrode thereon. To form. In addition, in the color filter process, a transparent second substrate is prepared, a black matrix is formed on the substrate, a color filter is formed in a region corresponding to the pixel region, and a common electrode is formed thereon. On the other hand, the common electrode and the pixel electrode for generating a horizontal electric field may be formed together in the pixel region of the first substrate.

Meanwhile, the alignment liquid applicator 110 supplies the alignment liquid to the first roll 120 and simultaneously pushes the surface thereof uniformly so that the alignment liquid is uniformly applied to the surface of the first roll 120. That is, the alignment liquid applicator 110 is connected to the alignment liquid reservoir 150 through the alignment liquid supply pipe 151, and the alignment supplied from the alignment liquid reservoir 150 through the alignment liquid supply pipe 151. The liquid is supplied to the surface of the first roll 120, and the alignment liquid supplied to the surface of the first roll 120 is uniformly pushed through the bar-shaped blade 115 so that the alignment liquid is uniformly applied.

When nitrogen gas (N2) is supplied to the alignment liquid reservoir 150 in which the alignment liquid is stored, the pressure of the alignment liquid reservoir 150 is increased by the nitrogen gas, and the alignment liquid causes the alignment liquid supply pipe 151 to flow. It is introduced into the alignment liquid applicator 110 through.

The alignment liquid applicator 110 is provided with an slit-type alignment liquid discharge part capable of simultaneously supplying the alignment liquid from one side to the other side of the first roll 120, and as the first roll 120 rotates, When the alignment liquid is supplied to the first roll 120 from the alignment liquid discharge part, the blade 115 then pushes the alignment liquid flat.

6 is a cross-sectional view of the alignment liquid applicator according to the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the alignment liquid applicator 110 is interlocked with and fixed to the first holder plate 113 and the second holder plate 111. The blade 115 is interposed between the first holder plate 113 and the second holder plate 111 and protrudes toward the first roll 120.

The first holder plate 113 is connected to the alignment liquid injection hole 117 and the alignment liquid injection hole 117 penetrating the inside from one side to the other side of the first holder plate 113 and the blade 115. An alignment liquid injection slit 112 extending to the contact surface is formed.

The alignment liquid injection hole 117 is connected to the alignment liquid supply pipe 151 to supply the alignment liquid stored in the alignment liquid reservoir 150 through the alignment liquid injection slit 112. The alignment liquid exiting through 112 flows to the surface of the blade 115. At this time, since the blade 115 operates in a standing state, the alignment liquid flowing through the surface of the blade 115 is applied on the second roll 130 as it is.

As mentioned above, when the alignment liquid is supplied onto the first roll 120 through the alignment liquid injection hole 117 and the alignment liquid injection slit 112 formed inside the first holder plate 113, Subsequently, the blade 115 pushes the surface of the alignment liquid flat so that the alignment liquid is uniformly applied to the surface of the second roll 130.

In the alignment film forming apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, the alignment liquid applicator and the blade are integrally formed, and the alignment liquid applicator is formed in a bar shape so that the alignment liquid can flow evenly from one side to the other side of the anilox roll. By doing so, staining of the alignment liquid is prevented.

In addition, since the alignment liquid is applied to the entire surface of the anilox roll without the left and right movement of the alignment liquid applicator, the alignment liquid having a uniform thickness can also be applied to the large area substrate.

As described above, the present invention devised an alignment liquid applicator in which a dispenser for supplying an alignment liquid and a doctor roll were mixed, and a uniform alignment film was formed by simultaneously supplying the alignment liquid from one side to the other side of the anilox roll to form an alignment layer. Prevent stains.

As described above, the present invention can provide a high-quality liquid crystal display device by forming an alignment film having a uniform thickness.

Claims (5)

First and second rolls engaged with and rotating; And And an alignment liquid applicator for contacting the first roll to supply the alignment liquid onto the first roll and uniformly applying the alignment liquid supplied to the first roll surface. The method of claim 1, The alignment liquid applicator, First and second holder plates engaged with each other; A blade interposed between the first and second holder plates; An alignment liquid injection hole formed inside the first holder plate; And And an alignment liquid supply slit connected to the alignment liquid injection hole to supply the alignment liquid along the blade. The method of claim 1, And an alignment liquid reservoir for supplying the alignment liquid to the first holder plate. The method of claim 3, And an alignment liquid supply pipe connecting the alignment layer injection hole of the first holder plate and the alignment liquid reservoir. An alignment liquid applicator; An anilox roll in contact with the alignment liquid applicator to receive an alignment liquid from the alignment liquid applicator; And A printing roll which rotates in engagement with the anneal roll and transfers the alignment liquid supplied to the anneal roll on a substrate, The alignment liquid applicator, First and second holder plates engaged with and fixed to each other; A blade interposed between the first holder plate and the second holder plate and protruding toward the annealing roll; An alignment liquid injection hole formed in the first holder plate; And And an alignment liquid supplying slit connected to the alignment liquid injection hole to supply the alignment liquid to the anneal roll through the blade.

Images