Display comprising a plurality of spacer rows having first and second protruding portions and method of manufacturing the same

• US 8,334,963 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2007
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Tokuo, Watanabe, Noriko
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Dennis Y
• Application Number:
  US12/299,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20090066903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,149 Days
• Field of Search: 349153-154, 349155-157
• US Class Current: 349/153
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133388 with constructional differences between the display region and the peripheral region
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1339 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13392 spacers dispersed on the cell substrate, e.g. spherical particles, microfibres

Abstract

A display device includes a plurality of spacer rows that are provided outside a display region on one of a pair of substrates, and each of the spacer rows is defined by a plurality of spacers arranged in a row at predetermined intervals along an outer edge of the display region. Each spacer has a substantially elongated shape extending along the outer edge of the display region. A gap between adjacent spacers in each spacer row is defined by a slit portion having a shorter length than a longitudinal length of the spacer, and the plurality of spacer rows are entirely covered by the seal member between the pair of substrates.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a pair of substrates connected to each other;

a display medium layer provided between the pair of substrates;

an approximately frame-shaped seal member arranged to seal the display medium layer between the pair of substrates; and

a display region arranged to be surrounded by the seal member;

wherein in the display region on one of the pair of substrates, spacers having a dot pattern are dispersedly arranged at predetermined intervals;

a plurality of spacer rows are located outside of the display region on one of the pair of substrates, and each spacer row includes a plurality of spacers arranged in line at predetermined intervals along an outer edge of the display region;

each spacer in each spacer row is made of the same material as that of the spacers in the display region, is made of a material having a lower moisture permeability than a moisture permeability of the seal member which is cured, and has a substantially elongated shape extending along the outer edge of the display region;

a gap between adjacent spacers in each spacer row is defined by a slit portion having a shorter length than a longitudinal length of the spacer;

the slit portion is filled with the seal member;

the plurality of spacer rows are entirely circumferentially covered by the seal member between the pair of substrates;

wherein the slit portion in one of the plurality of spacer rows is arranged so as to not overlap with the slit portion in an adjacent spacer row in a direction substantially perpendicular to an arranging direction of the spacer row;

wherein two of the spacer rows are located outside the display region; and

in one of the two of the spacer rows which is located on a display region side, first protruding portions protruding toward an opposite side to the display region are located at both ends of the spacer, and in the other of the two of the spacer rows which is located on the opposite side to the display region, second protruding portions protruding toward the display region side are located at both ends of the spacer.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the seal member is made of a thermoplastic resin.

3. A method for manufacturing a display device in which a display medium layer is sealed by an approximately frame-shaped seal member between a first substrate and a second substrate, and a display region contributing to display is arranged to be surrounded by the seal member, the method comprising:

a spacer row formation step of forming spacers having a dot pattern to be dispersedly arranged at predetermined intervals in the display region on the first substrate, and forming a plurality of spacer rows outside the display region on the first substrate with each spacer row being formed by a plurality of spacers arranged in line at predetermined intervals along an outer edge of the display region;

a seal member supply step of supplying a flowable seal member to a region where the spacer rows are formed on the first substrate; and

a bonding step of bonding the second substrate to the first substrate with the seal member interposed therebetween;

wherein

in the spacer row formation step, each spacer in each spacer row is made of the same material as that of the spacers in the display region, is made of a material having a lower moisture permeability than a moisture permeability of the seal member which is cured, and has a substantially elongated shape extending along the outer edge of the display region, and a gap between adjacent spacers in each spacer row is formed as a slit portion having a shorter length than a longitudinal length of the spacer;

in the bonding step, the slit portion is filled with the seal member, the plurality of spacer rows are entirely circumferentially covered by the seal member between the first substrate and the second substrate bonded to each other;

wherein in the spacer row formation step, the slit portion in one of the plurality of spacer rows is formed so as to not overlap with the slit portion in an adjacent spacer row in a direction substantially perpendicular to an arranging direction of the spacer row; and

wherein in the spacer row formation step, two of the spacer rows are located outside the display region, and

in one of the two of the spacer rows which is located on a display region side, first protruding portions protruding toward an opposite side to the display region are located at both ends of the spacer, and in the other of the two of the spacer rows which is located on the opposite side to the display region, second protruding portions protruding toward the display region side are located at both ends of the spacer.

4. The method for manufacturing a display device according to claim 3, wherein the seal member is made of a thermoplastic resin.