JPS5850338B2 - liquid crystal encapsulant - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a liquid crystal enclosing device in a liquid crystal display element.

Liquid crystal display elements use the characteristic of liquid crystals that their optical properties change when an electric field is applied. Two element substrates on which transparent electrode patterns have been formed are separated by a gap of several μm using a sealant or the like. A desired display pattern is obtained by assembling the liquid crystal into a package, enclosing liquid crystal therein, and applying voltage to the electrodes.

The operation of sealing the liquid crystal between the two element substrates described above is carried out as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, 1 is an element substrate, and 2 is a sealing hole for sealing liquid crystal between the element substrates.

The liquid crystal boat 3 is provided with a groove 4 that is slightly wider than the filling hole, and a coil 5 made of a thin metal wire tightly wound in a ring shape with a diameter that is approximately above the groove 4 is set into the groove 4, and the liquid crystal 6 is inserted into the liquid crystal boat 3.
is injected.

Since liquid crystals generally dislike moisture, this operation is performed in a chamber purged with dry inert gas.

Therefore, when the element substrate 1 is lowered from the state shown in FIG.
A liquid crystal coating is formed around the sealing hole 2.

Then, when dryene active gas is introduced into the chamber,
The liquid crystal 6 is sealed inside the element substrate 1 due to the pressure.

Since the liquid crystal 6 in the groove 4 is consumed in this way, it is necessary to always supply a certain amount of liquid crystal to the groove 4 in order to efficiently perform the liquid crystal filling operation and obtain stable quality.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal filling device that can always fill the grooves of a liquid crystal boat with a constant level of liquid crystal.

First, as a method to always fill the groove of the liquid crystal boat at a constant level of liquid crystal, it is possible to use a detector that monitors the level of the liquid crystal surface.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one embodiment.

Note that the same or equivalent members as in FIG. 1 will be described with the same numbers.

7 is a liquid crystal container containing the liquid crystal 6, 8 is a guide cylinder for moving the liquid crystal container 7 up and down at a fixed position, and 9 is a detector for detecting the level of the liquid crystal 6 in the liquid crystal container 7, such as a phototube. , are arranged at positions that keep the liquid crystal in the groove 4 at a constant level.

10 is the detector 9 for always keeping the liquid level constant.
an electric cylinder 1 that moves the liquid crystal container 7 up and down in conjunction with the
1 is an elevation table on which the liquid crystal container 7 is placed and moves up and down; 12 is a flexible tube that communicates the inside of the liquid crystal container 7 with the groove 4 of the liquid crystal boat 3;

Next, the operation of supplying liquid crystal by the apparatus constructed as above will be explained.

First, liquid crystal is placed in the liquid crystal container 7, and the height of the elevation table 11 is adjusted to set the level of the liquid crystal in the groove 4 provided in the liquid crystal boat 3 to an appropriate position.

The liquid crystal filling operation is performed in this state.

When the liquid crystal filling operation is performed and the liquid crystal is consumed and the liquid crystal level in the liquid crystal boat 3 is lowered, the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal container γ is also consumed and the liquid level is lowered.

At this time, the detector 9, which has been set in advance at the proper level position of the liquid crystal, detects this and sends the signal to the electric cylinder 10.

The electric cylinder 10 raises the liquid crystal container 7 to an appropriate level via the elevation table 11.

In this way, each time the liquid crystal level in the liquid crystal boat 3 decreases, the above series of operations is repeated, and the liquid crystal boat 3 is always supplied with a constant level of liquid crystal.

This method of interlocking the detector that detects the level of the liquid crystal surface and the electric cylinder that moves the liquid crystal container up and down has the disadvantage that the mechanism is complicated.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to maintain a constant liquid crystal surface level with a simple configuration.

The present invention will be explained below based on illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 3a is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the liquid crystal filling device according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the liquid crystal supplying mechanism thereof.

13 is a liquid crystal container, and a preliminary liquid crystal container 14 is provided adjacent to this liquid crystal container 13.

A weir 15 that partitions the liquid crystal container 13 and the preliminary liquid crystal container 14
The height of is set to such a level that the liquid crystal surface in the liquid crystal boat 3 is maintained at an appropriate level.

16 is a water wheel that pumps up the liquid crystal in the preliminary liquid crystal container 14 and supplies it to the liquid crystal container 13; 17 is a motor that rotates the water wheel 16, and is driven continuously or intermittently.

Next, the operation of supplying liquid crystal by the apparatus constructed as above will be explained.

First, liquid crystal is put into the liquid crystal container 13 and the preliminary liquid crystal container 14.

At this time, by filling the liquid crystal container 13 with liquid crystal up to the height of the weir 15, the liquid crystal surface in the groove of the liquid crystal boat 3 is brought to an appropriate level.

In this state, the liquid crystal filling operation is performed.

When the liquid crystal filling operation is performed and the liquid crystal in the groove of the liquid crystal boat 3 is consumed, the liquid crystal surface in the liquid crystal container 13 is lowered.

At this time, when the water wheel 16 provided in the preliminary liquid crystal container 14 is rotated continuously or intermittently by the motor 17, the liquid crystal in the preliminary liquid crystal container 14 is pumped up by the water wheel 16 and supplied to the liquid crystal container 13. Ru.

The amount of liquid crystal supplied is set to such an extent that it overflows from the weir 15.

In this way, liquid crystal is supplied to the liquid crystal container 13 by the waterwheel 16, and overflowing liquid crystal is returned to the preliminary liquid crystal container 14, so the height of the weir 15 keeps the liquid crystal in the liquid crystal boat 3 at a constant level. It will be dripping.

In the above embodiments, a coil was described as an intervening material for sealing liquid crystal into a filling hole, but the present invention is not limited to a coil, and may be, for example, a plurality of thin glasses bundled together.

Further, the liquid contact portion that comes into contact with the liquid crystal is preferably made of fluororesin or glass, but is not particularly limited as long as it does not deteriorate the characteristics of the liquid crystal.

As is clear from the above description, according to the liquid crystal filling device of the present invention, the level of the liquid crystal can always be maintained constant with a simple configuration, so that stable liquid crystal filling can be performed, and the liquid crystal filling device can be This makes it possible to promote automation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 shows the liquid crystal filling operation, a is a diagram of the state before filling, b
2 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of the liquid crystal encapsulating device using a detector; FIG. 3a is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of the liquid crystal encapsulating device according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a plan view of the liquid crystal supply mechanism section. 1...Element substrate, 2...Enclosure hole, 3.
...LCD boat, 4...Groove, 6...
...Liquid crystal, 7...Liquid crystal container, 9...Detector, 10...Electric cylinder, 13...
・Liquid crystal container, 14...Spare liquid crystal container, 15...
...weir, 16...water wheel.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a liquid crystal enclosing device for enclosing liquid crystal between the substrates of a liquid crystal display element assembled with element substrates facing each other, with the enclosing hole provided between the substrates facing downward and in contact with the liquid crystal surface of a liquid crystal boat. , a liquid crystal container communicated with the liquid crystal boat and a spare liquid crystal container adjacent to the liquid crystal container are provided, at least a part of a weir separating both containers is set at the same height as the liquid crystal surface level, and from this weir A liquid crystal enclosing device characterized in that a water wheel is provided to draw up and supply liquid crystal from a preliminary liquid crystal container to a liquid crystal container so that the liquid crystal overflows, so that the liquid crystal surface level of the liquid crystal boat is always kept constant.