Liquid crystal display element and manufacturing method thereof

• US 6,674,503 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Niiya, Hirotaka, Inou, Ippei
• Primary Examiner(s): DUDEK, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US09/746,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20010005255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 349/155
• US Class Current: 349/155
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13392 spacers dispersed on the cell substrate, e.g. spherical particles, microfibres

Abstract

A liquid crystal display element includes a pair of substrates made of plastic, a liquid crystal sandwiched between the pair of substrates, and a plurality of spacers for maintaining a gap d between the pair of substrates, which are sandwiched between the pair of substrates, and when x is an average value of thickness of the plurality of spacers in a state without a load in such a direction that the plurality of spacers are sandwiched between the pair of substrates, d<x≦1.1d is satisfied. Further, in the liquid crystal display element, a numerical density of the spacers is set to be not less than 240 pieces/mm² and not more than 300 pieces/mm². Further, in the liquid crystal display element, an elastic modulus of the spacers is set to be larger than that of the pair of substrates. As a result, in the liquid crystal display element, color shading is suppressed while suppressing generation of bubbles in a vacuum region and reduction in contrast, thus obtaining desirable display quality of a display image.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal display element, comprising:

a pair of substrates made of plastic;

a liquid crystal sandwiched between said pair of substrates; and

a plurality of spacers for maintaining a gap d between said pair of substrates, which are sandwiched between said pair of substrates;

wherein, when x is an average value of thickness of the plurality of spacers in a state without a load in such a direction that said plurality of spacers are sandwiched between said pair of substrates, d<

x≦

1.1d is satisfied.

2. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 1, wherein a numerical density of said plurality of spacers is not less than 240 pieces/mm² and not more than 300 pieces/mm².

3. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 1, wherein an elastic modulus of said plurality of spacers is larger than an elastic modulus of said pair of substrates.

4. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 2, wherein an elastic modulus of said plurality of spacers is larger than an elastic modulus of said pair of substrates.

7. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 1, wherein an elastic modulus of said plurality of spacers is larger than an elastic modulus of one of said pair of substrates.

8. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 1, wherein a numerical density of said plurality of spacers is not less than 240 pieces/mm², while a ratio of a volume constituted by said plurality of spacers to a volume constituted by the liquid crystal and the plurality of spacers sandwiched between said pair of substrates is not more than 0.64%.

9. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least either one of said pair of substrates is made of polyethersulfone.

10. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal composes an STN type liquid crystal cell.

5. A manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display element which includes a pair of substrates made of plastic, a plurality of spacers for maintaining a gap between the pair of substrates and a liquid crystal between the pair of substrates, comprising the steps of:

(a) disposing said plurality of spacers between said pair of substrates, and forming a liquid crystal injection slit for injecting the liquid crystal between said pair of substrates while bonding said pair of substrates with a seal material which is provided around a region where said plurality of spacers are disposed;

(b) injecting the liquid crystal between said pair of substrates via said liquid crystal injection slit; and

(c) sealing said liquid crystal injection slit while adjusting pressure which is applied to said pair of substrates so as to adjust the gap between said pair of substrates in which the liquid crystal was injected,

wherein;

when x is an average value of thickness of the plurality of spacers in a state without a load in such a direction that said plurality of spacers are sandwiched between said pair of substrates,

when adjusting said pressure, the gap d between said pair of substrates at completion of the liquid crystal display element is adjusted so as to satisfy d<

x≦

1.1d.

6. The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 5, wherein said plurality of spacers are disposed between said pair of substrates so that a numerical density thereof becomes not less than 240 pieces/mm² and not more than 300 pieces/mm².

11. The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 5, wherein, in said step (c), pressure is applied to said pair of substrates so that the gap between said pair of substrates becomes smaller than the gap at completion of the liquid crystal display element, then, said liquid crystal injection slit is coated with the seal material, then, the pressure applied to said pair of substrates is reduced so as to allow said seal material to penetrate the gap from said liquid crystal injection slit, then, said seal material is set.

12. The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 11, wherein, in said step (c), the pressure applied to said pair of substrates so that the gap between said pair of substrates becomes smaller than the gap at completion of the liquid crystal display element is in a range of 30 kPa to 50 kPa.

13. A liquid crystal display element consisting essentially of:

a pair of substrates having opposing an inner surfaces, wherein

(a) an electrode is formed on each of the opposing inner surfaces,

(b) each of the pair of substrates is made of plastic, and

(c) at least one of a switching element, a color filter, and an orientating film is formed on at least one of the opposing inner surfaces;

a liquid crystal sandwiched between said pair of substrates; and

a plurality of spacers for maintaining a gap d between said pair of substrates, which are sandwiched between said pair of substrates,

wherein when x is an average value of thickness of the plurality of spacers in a state without a load in such a direction that said plurality of spacers are sandwiched between said pair of substrates, d<

x≦

1.1d is satisfied.

14. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 13, wherein a numerical density of said plurality of spacers is not less than 240 pieces/mm² and not more than 300 pieces/mm².

15. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 13, wherein an elastic modulus of said plurality of spacers is larger than an elastic modulus of said pair of substrates.

16. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 14, wherein an elastic modulus of said plurality of spacers is larger than an elastic modulus of said pair of substrates.

17. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 13, wherein an elastic modulus of said plurality of spacers is larger than an elastic modulus of one of said pair of substrates.

18. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 13, wherein a numerical density of said plurality of spacers is not less than 240 pieces/mm², while a ratio of a volume constituted by said plurality of spacers to a volume constituted by the liquid crystal and the plurality of spacers sandwiched between said pair of substrates is not more than 0.64%.

19. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 13, wherein at least either one of said pair of substrates is made of polyethersulfone.

20. The liquid crystal display element as set forth in claim 13, wherein said liquid crystal composes an STN type liquid crystal cell.