Liquid crystal cell, display device, and particular method of fabricating liquid crystal cell by dropping and capillary action

• US 7,038,758 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Shunji
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rude, Timothy L.
• Application Number:
  US10/735,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20040125317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 349/189
• US Class Current: 349/189
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1339 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1341 Filling or closing of cells

Abstract

Bubbles mixed in liquid crystal injected into a liquid crystal cell are pushed out through an outlet. The outlet has a space secured to a maximum limit by an extended sealing portion reaching the outer peripheral end surfaces of substrates, and a step with a color filter is formed. The pushed-out bubbles are surely trapped by the space of the outlet. In a replenishing port for replenishing liquid crystal, an introduction spacer having a height equal to that of the color filter is provided, and by a capillary phenomenon, liquid crystal for replenishment can be smoothly introduced into the liquid crystal cell.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a liquid crystal cell, comprising:

obtaining a liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal filled between two substrates stuck together by a sealant which is formed to provide

a first opening and a second opening on at least one side face of the liquid crystal cell, wherein the first and second openings communicate with the space filled with the liquid crystal;

discharging bubbles mixed in the liquid crystal from the inside of the liquid crystal cell through the first opening by pressing the two substrates of the liquid crystal cell in a direction where the two substrates approach to each other; and

replenishing the liquid crystal cell with the liquid crystal through the second opening by use of capillary phenomenon.

2. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal is disposed between the two substrate by dropping the liquid crystal onto the coated substrate, and then superposing the other substrate thereon.

3. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the pressing of the two substances is carried out at a temperature for causing viscosity of the liquid crystal to be lower than the viscosity at a normal temperature, and the sealant to be softer than the same at a normal temperature.

4. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal cell accordingly to claim 1, wherein the pressing step adjusts dimensions of the space between the two substrates such that a predetermined space is formed.

5. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, wherein the first opening comprises a step portion.

6. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal cell according to claim 5, wherein the step portion is formed by an end portion of a color filter positioned within an outer boundary of the sealant portion with a region adjacent to the step portion surrounded by the sealant portion.

7. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal cell according to claim 1, further comprising providing a color filter within the predetermined space between the two substrates.

8. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal cell according to claim 7, further comprising providing a dummy color filter that extends from an outer peripheral end portion of the color filter to the sealant portion, and wherein the dummy color filter is substantially a same thickness as the color filter.

9. The method of fabricating a liquid crystal cell according to claim 7, further comprising providing an introduction spacer herein the introduction spacer is continuous to the color filter and a surface of the introduction spacer is on the same plane as that of the color filter.