Color-filter manufacturing method and apparatus, color filter, display device, and apparatus having display device

• US 6,224,205 B1
• Filed: 07/29/1996
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sato, Hiroshi, Nakazawa, Koichiro, Yamaguchi, Hiromitsu, Shirota, Katsuhiro, Akahira, Makoto, Sugitani, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, JUANITA DIONNE
• Application Number:
  US08/687,985
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 347/107, 347/73, 347/57, 347/20, 347/6, 347/59
• US Class Current: 347/107
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/09 Ink jet technology used for manufacturing optical filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133516 Methods for their manufacture, e.g. printing, electro-deposition or photolithography

Abstract

A color-filter manufacturing method which manufactures a color filter where occurrence of color mixture and colorless portion(s) are prevented while improving ink-arrival precision in applying ink onto a substrate. The method manufactures a color filter by discharging ink from an ink-jet head IJH on a substrate 53 so as to color respective pixels with a plurality of discharge ink. When ink I2 discharged from the ink-jet head IJH is applied not in the form of ink droplet but in the form of pillar onto the substrate 53, the ink I2 is applied at a position within a pixel, where the ink I2 is to mix with previously-applied ink I1.

Claims

1. A color-filter manufacturing method for manufacturing a color filter by discharging ink from an ink-jet head onto a substrate so as to form a plurality of filter elements on the substrate, comprising the steps of:

providing the substrate;

discharging a first ink of a predetermined color from said ink-jet head, at a position for the filter elements on the substrate; and

discharging a second ink of the predetermined color from said ink-jet head in a form having a front side and a rear side, and extending in a direction from said ink-jet head to the substrate, so that the front side of the ink arrives at the substrate before the rear side of the ink is separated from the ink-jet head, and mixes with the discharged first ink.

2. The color-filter manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein in said step of discharging ink an interval between said ink-jet head and said substrate is set, and an ink discharge speed is set.

3. The color-filter manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein said ink-jet head is a print head which discharges ink by utilizing thermal energy, and comprises thermal energy transducers for generating thermal energy to be applied to the ink, and in said step of discharging ink, said ink-jet head discharges ink at the set ink discharge speed by controlling a level of thermal energy generated by the thermal energy transducers.

4. A color-filter manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a color filter by discharging ink from an ink-jet head onto a substrate so as to form a plurality of filter elements on the substrate, comprising:

means for arranging the substrate;

an ink-jet head for discharging ink onto said substrate; and

a driver for driving said ink-jet head so as to discharge a first ink of a predetermined color at a position for the filter elements on the substrate, and to discharge a second ink of the predetermined color in a form having a front side and a rear side, and extending in a direction from said ink-jet head to the substrate, so that the front side of the ink arrives at the substrate before the rear side of the ink is separated from the ink-jet head, and mixes with the discharged first ink.

5. The color-filter manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said ink-jet head is a print head which discharges ink by utilizing thermal energy, and includes thermal energy transducers for generating thermal energy to be applied to the ink, and said ink-jet head discharges ink at a set ink-discharge speed by controlling a level of thermal energy generated by the thermal energy transducers.

6. A color filter having a substrate and manufactured by discharging ink from an ink-jet head onto a substrate so as to form a plurality of filter elements on the substrate, wherein a first ink of a predetermined color is discharged from said ink-jet head at a position for the filter elements on the substrate, where a second ink of the predetermined color, that was ejected from said ink-jet head in a form having a front side and a rear side, and extending in a direction from said ink-jet head to the substrate so that the front side of the ink arrives at the substrate before the rear side of the ink is separated from the ink-jet head, is mixed with the first ink.

7. A display device having a color filter having a substrate and manufactured by discharging ink from an ink-jet head onto a substrate so as to form a plurality of filter elements on the substrate, integrally comprising:

a color filter colored by discharging a first ink of a predetermined color from said ink-jet head onto the substrate, at a position for the filter elements on the substrate, where a second ink of the predetermined color, that was ejected from said ink-jet head in a form having a front side and a rear side, and extending in a direction from said ink-jet head to the substrate so that the front side of the ink arrives at the substrate before the rear side of the ink is separated from the ink-jet head, is mixed with the first ink; and

light-amount change means for changing an amount of light.

8. An apparatus comprising a display device having a color filter having a substrate and manufactured by discharging ink from an ink-jet head onto a substrate so as to form a plurality of filter elements on the substrate, integrally comprising:

a display device integrally comprising a color filter colored by discharging a first ink of a predetermined color from said ink-jet head onto the substrate, at a position for the filter elements on the substrate, where a second quantity of ink of the predetermined color, that was ejected from said ink-jet head in a form having a front side and a rear side, and extending in a direction from said ink-jet head to the substrate so that the front side of the ink arrives at the substrate before the rear side of the ink is separated from the ink-jet head, is mixed with the first ink, and light-amount change means for changing an amount of light; and

image-signal supply means for supplying an image signal to said display device.

9. A method for improving precision of ink-arrival positions on a color filter manufactured by discharging ink from an ink-jet head onto a substrate so as to form a plurality of filter elements on the substrate, comprising the steps of:

applying ink discharged from said ink-jet head in a form having a front side and a rear side, and extending in a direction from said ink-jet head to the substrate so that the front side of the ink arrives at the substrate before the rear side of the ink is separated from the ink-jet head, onto said substrate further comprising the step of previously applying to said substrate a first ink of a predetermined color, and wherein, in the step of applying said ink, said ink is of the predetermined color and is applied at a position within said filter elements so as to mix with the previously-applied ink.

10. A method for reducing coloring unevenness in filter elements of a color filter manufactured by discharging ink from an ink-jet head onto a substrate so as to form a plurality of filter elements on the substrate, comprising the step of:

discharging ink from said ink-jet head in a form having a front side and a rear side. and extending in a direction from said ink-jet head to the substrate so that the front side of the ink arrives at the substrate before, the rear side of the ink is separated from the ink-jet head, the ink having a same color as that of previously-applied ink, to be applied at a position within said filter elements where the ink is to mix with the previously-applied ink.