Method and apparatus for producing color filter, color filter, liquid crystal display device and apparatus having the liquid crystal display device

• US 6,244,702 B1
• Filed: 09/13/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sakino, Shigeo, Tsuruoka, Shinsuke, Sakai, Toshikazu, Masuda, Kazuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, JUANITA DIONNE
• Application Number:
  US09/394,323
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 347/106, 347/107, 347/37, 347/105, 347/1, 347/8, 347/16, 347/2, 347/43, 347/9, 347/19, 427/510, 427/511, 427/514, 427/555, 427/164, 349/889, 349/890, 349/891, 349/892, 358/296, 358/528, 430/7, 430/321
• US Class Current: 347/106
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14016 Structure of bubble jet print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/09 Ink jet technology used for manufacturing optical filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays

Abstract

This invention relates to a highly precise and efficient color filter producing apparatus, which is provided with at least a set of drawing heads for respectively generating ink jets of red, green and blue colors, movement means for moving, with a substrate on which a color filter is to be formed by drawing with said ink jets, in a plane having a predetermined distance from the drawing heads, displacement detection means for detecting relative displacement between the substrate and the drawing heads in directions of six freedoms, means for detecting the reaching position on the substrate of the ink jet discharged from the drawing head, and alignment means for effecting alignment between the substrate and the drawing heads in directions of six freedoms, based on the results of detection of the reaching position and of the relative displacement between the substrate and the drawing head in directions of six freedoms.

Claims

1. A color filter producing apparatus for forming a color filter on a substrate by drawing with ink jets, comprising:

at least one set of drawing heads for discharging ink of three colors of red, green and blue;

distance detection means for detecting a distance in a Z-direction between at least one point on said substrate and said set of drawing heads;

reaching position detecting means for detecting a reaching position on said substrate of each of said ink jets discharged from said set of drawing heads;

alignment error detecting means for detecting an error of alignment between said substrate and said set of drawing heads in an XY-plane perpendicular to said Z-direction; and

adjustment means for adjusting a distance between said substrate and said set of drawing heads in said Z-direction based on said detected distance by said distance detection means, and adjusting alignment between said substrate and said set of drawing heads in said XY-plane based on said detected reaching position by said reaching position detecting means and said detected alignment error by said alignment error detecting means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said distance detection means detects said distance in said Z-direction between at least three points on said substrate and said set of drawing heads, and wherein said adjustment means adjusts a distance between said substrate and said set of drawing heads in said Z-direction based on said detected distance by said distance detection means, adjusts relative leveling between said substrate and said set of drawing head in Z-tilt direction based on said detected distance by said distance detection means, and adjusts alignment between said substrate and said set of drawing heads in said XY-plane based on said detected reaching position by said reaching position detecting means and said detected alignment error by said alignment error detecting means.

3. A color filter producing method comprising steps of:

providing a color filter producing apparatus for forming a color filter on a substrate by drawing with ink jets, said color filter producing apparatus comprising;

at least one set of drawing heads for discharging ink of three colors of red, green and blue;

distance detection means for detecting a distance in a Z-direction between at least one point on said substrate and said set of drawing heads;

reaching position detection means for detecting a reaching position on said substrate of each of said ink jets discharged from said set of drawing heads;

alignment error detecting means for detecting an error of alignment between said substrate and said set of drawing heads in an XY-plane perpendicular to said Z-direction; and

adjustment means for adjusting a distance between said substrate and said set of drawing heads in said Z-direction based on said detected distance by said distance detection means, and adjusting alignment between said substrate and said set of drawing heads in said XY-plane based on said detected reaching position by said reaching position detecting means and said detected alignment error by said alignment error detecting means;

detecting said distance in said Z-direction between at least one point on said substrate and said set of drawing heads by said distance detection means, said reaching position on said substrate of each of said ink jets discharged from said set of drawing heads by said reaching position detecting means, and said error of alignment between said substrate and said set of drawing heads in said XY-plane by said alignment error detecting means; and

adjusting, by said adjustment means, the distance between said substrate and said Z-direction, based on said detected distance by said distance detection means, and alignment between said substrate and said set of drawing heads in said XY-plane based on said detected reaching position by said reaching position detecting means and said detected alignment error by said alignment error detecting means.

10. A color filter produced by the process of any of claims 3, 6, 8 and 9.

11. A liquid crystal display device comprising:

the color filter according to claim 10;

a substrate opposed to said color filter; and

a liquid crystal compound sealed between said color filter and said substrate.

12. A liquid crystal apparatus comprising:

the liquid crystal display device according to claim 11, and

image signal output means for outputting an

image signal to said liquid crystal display device.

4. An ink jet system for discharging ink on a substrate, including:

at least one drawing head for discharging ink;

distance detection means for detecting a distance in a Z-direction between at least one point on said substrate and said drawing head;

reaching position detecting means for detecting a reaching position on said substrate of ink discharged from said drawing head;

alignment error detecting means for detecting an error of alignment between said substrate and drawing head in an XY-plane perpendicular to said Z-direction; and

adjustment means for adjusting a distance between said substrate and said drawing head in said Z-direction based on said detected distance by said distance detection means, and adjusting alignment between said substrate and said drawing head in said XY-plane based on said detected reaching position by said reaching position detecting means and said detected alignment error by said alignment error detecting means.

5. An apparatus for producing a color filter by forming a plurality of colored filter elements arranged on an optically translucent substrate comprising:

an ink jet head for discharging a coloring material, moving relative to said substrate to color said filter elements;

detection means for detecting a liquid droplet of said coloring material so as to detect a reaching position of said coloring material discharged by said ink jet head; and

adjustment means for adjusting a timing of discharge of said ink jet head based on a result of detection of the reaching position of said coloring material detected by said detection means.

6. A method for producing a color filter by discharging a coloring material from an ink-jet head to an optically translucent substrate thereby forming a plurality of colored filter element with said coloring material, comprising:

a first discharge step of discharging the coloring material with a predetermined pattern from said ink jet head while scanning said ink jet head relative to a dummy substrate for coloring;

a detection step of detecting a reaching position of said coloring material in said first discharge step;

a timing adjustment step of adjusting a timing of discharge of said ink jet head based on a result of detection of the reaching position of said coloring material detected in said detection step; and

a second discharge step of discharging the coloring material from said ink jet head with the timing set in said timing adjustment step and scanning said ink jet head relative to said substrate, thereby coloring the filter element on said substrate.

7. An apparatus for producing a color filter by forming a plurality of colored filter elements arranged on an optically translucent substrate comprising:

an ink jet head having a plurality of discharging nozzles for discharging a coloring material, moving relative to said substrate to color said filter elements;

detection means for detecting a liquid droplet of said coloring material so as to detect a reaching position of said coloring material discharged by said ink jet head; and

posture adjustment means for three-dimensionally adjusting the posture of said ink jet head and relationship among said discharging nozzles based on the result of detection of the reaching position of said coloring material detected by said detection means.

8. A method for producing a color filter by discharging a coloring material from an ink jet head having a plurality of discharging nozzles to an optically translucent substrate thereby forming a plurality of colored filter element with said coloring material, comprising:

a first discharge step of discharging the coloring material with a predetermined pattern from said ink jet head while scanning said ink jet head relative to a dummy substrate for coloring;

a detection step of detecting a reaching position of said coloring material in said first discharge step;

a posture adjustment step of three-dimensionally adjusting a posture of said ink jet head and relationship among said discharging nozzles based on a result of detection of the reaching position of said coloring material detected in said detection step; and

a second discharge step of discharging the coloring material from said ink jet head with the posture set in said posture adjustment step and scanning said ink jet head relative to said substrate, thereby coloring the filter element on said substrate.

9. A method for producing a color filter by discharging a coloring material from an ink jet head having a plurality of discharging nozzles to an optically translucent substrate thereby forming a plurality of colored filter element with said coloring material, comprising:

a first discharge step of discharging the coloring material with a predetermined pattern from said ink jet head while scanning said ink jet head relative to a dummy substrate for coloring;

a detection step of detecting a reaching position of said coloring material in said first discharge step;

a posture adjustment step of three-dimensionally adjusting a posture of said ink jet head and relationship among said discharging nozzles of said ink jet head based on a result of detection of the reaching position of said coloring material detected in said detection step; and

a second discharge step of discharging the coloring material from said discharging nozzles of said ink jet head with the posture set in said posture adjustment step and scanning said ink jet head relative to said substrate, thereby coloring the filter element on said substrate.

13. A color filter producing apparatus for forming a color filter on a substrate by drawing with ink jets, comprising:

at least one set of drawing heads for discharging ink of three colors of red, green and blue;

a stage on which a substrate is mounted and which is adjustable; and

reading means which reads relative positional relationship between a test pattern recorded on a test substrate by said drawing heads and an alignment mark provided on a substrate for product,

wherein a product pattern is recorded on the substrate for product by said drawing heads after said stage on which the substrate for product is mounted has been adjusted in correspondence to a result of the relative positional relationship between the test pattern recorded on the test substrate and the alignment mark provided on the substrate for product, read by said reading means.

14. A color filter producing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said substrate is a glass substrate.

15. A color filter producing apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, wherein said reading means obtains first positional information by drawing the test pattern on the test substrate with said drawing heads and second positional information by reading the alignment mark provided on the substrate for product, and the final adjustment is performed on the basis of said first and second positional information.

16. A method for producing a color filter, said method comprising the steps of:

recording a test pattern on a test substrate by drawing heads;

setting a substrate for product on a stage, the substrate for product having an alignment mark;

using reading means to read a relative positional relationship between said test pattern recorded on the test substrate and said alignment mark provided on the substrate for product; and

recording a product pattern on the substrate for product in correspondence to a result of the relative positional relationship between the test pattern recorded on the test substrate and the alignment mark provided on the substrate for product, read by said reading means.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said substrate is a glass substrate.

18. A method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein first positional information is obtained by drawing the test pattern on the test substrate with said drawing heads and then second positional information is obtained by reading the alignment mark provided on the substrate for product by said reading means, and the final adjustment is performed on the basis of said first and second positional information.