Liquid crystal light modulating device, and a manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus thereof
AssigneeMinolta Co., Ltd.
InventorsKiyofumi Hashimoto, Masakazu Okada, Kenji Nishiguchi, Tatsuo Taniguchi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid crystal display device which has a liquid crystal composition between a first substrate and a flexible second substrate. The liquid crystal composition is filled between the substrates by being dispensed on the first substrate and spread uniformly while the second substrate is being pressed against the first substrate by a roller, and the liquid crystal composition is sealed by sealing resin provided on the sides of the substrates. The gap between the substrates is maintained by spherical spacers and/or a resin structure.
Claims32
A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal light modulating device including a first substrate and a second substrate, at least one of which is flexible, a liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates, and a seal surrounding the liquid crystal material to prevent the liquid crystal material from leaking, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing the seal on at least one of the first and second substrates, the step (a) including the steps of:
- (a1) providing the seal which is not hardened on at least one of the first and second substrates;
- and
- (a2) incompletely hardening the seal after the step (a1);
- (b) dispensing the liquid crystal material onto the first substrate;
- and
- (c) placing, after the execution of the steps (a) and (b), the second substrate onto the first substrate and hardening the seal to join the first and second substrates together.
A liquid crystal light modulating device comprising:
- a first substrate and a second substrate, at least one of which is flexible;
- a liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates;
- and
- a seal surrounding the liquid crystal material to prevent the liquid crystal material from leaking;
- wherein the liquid crystal light modulating device is manufactured by executing the steps of:
- (a) providing the seal on at least one of the first and second substrates, the step (a) including the steps of:
- (a1) providing the seal which is not hardened on at least one of the first and second substrates;
- and
- (a2) incompletely hardening the seal after the step (a1);
- (b) dispensing the liquid crystal material onto the first substrate;
- and
- (c) placing, after the execution of the steps (a) and (b), the second substrate onto the first substrate and hardening the seal to join the first and second substrates together.
A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal light modulating device including a first substrate and a second substrate, at least one of which is flexible, a liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates and a seal surrounding said liquid crystal material to prevent said liquid crystal material from leaking, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing the seal on the second substrate,
- (b) dispensing the liquid crystal material on the first substrate;
- (c) providing a plurality of resin-coated spacers on at least one of the first and second substrates to be located in a light modulating area;
- and
- (d) placing, after the execution of the steps (a) through (c), the second substrate onto the first substrate and hardening the seal to join the first and second substrates together.
A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal light modulating device including a first substrate and a second substrate, at least one of which is flexible, a liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates and a seal surrounding said liquid crystal material to prevent said liquid crystal material from leaking, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming an alignment layer on at least one of the first and second substrates inside of an area to be surrounded by the seal;
- (b) providing the seal on the second substrate;
- (c) dispensing the liquid crystal material on the first substrate;
- and
- (d) placing, after the execution of the steps (a) through (c), the second substrate on the first substrate and hardening the seal to join the first and second substrates together.
A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal light modulating device including a first substrate and a second substrate, at least one of which is flexible, a liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates and a seal surrounding said liquid crystal material to prevent said liquid crystal material from leaking, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing the seal on at least one of the first and second substrates;
- (b) providing a resin structure on at least one of the first and second substrates to be located in a light modulating area, said resin structure being made of a material identical to that of the seal;
- (c) providing spacers on at least one of the first and second substrates;
- (d) dispensing the liquid crystal material on at least one of the first and second substrates;
- and
- (e) placing, after the execution of the steps (a) through (d), the second substrate on the first substrate and hardening the seal to join the first and second substrates together.
A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal light modulating device including a first substrate and a second substrate, at least one of which is flexible, a liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates and a seal surrounding said liquid crystal material to prevent said liquid crystal material from leaking, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing the seal on the second substrate;
- (b) providing a resin structure on the first substrate to be located in a light modulating area;
- (c) dispensing the liquid crystal material onto at least one of the first and second substrates;
- and
- (d) placing, after the execution of the steps (a) through (c), the second substrate onto the first substrate and hardening the seal to join the first and second substrates together.
A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal light modulating device including a first substrate and a second substrate, at least one of which is flexible, a liquid crystal material filled between the first and second substrates and a seal surrounding said liquid crystal material to prevent said liquid crystal material from leaking, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing the seal on at least one of the first and second substrates;
- (b) providing a resin structure on the first substrate to be located in a light modulating area;
- (c) providing spacers on the second substrate;
- (d) dispensing the liquid crystal material onto at least one of the first and second substrates;
- and
- (e) placing, after the execution of the steps (a) through (d), the second substrate onto the first substrate and hardening the seal to join the first and second substrates together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.