JPS623225A - Liquid crystal device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make uniform the space between substrates and to improve optical characteristics by forming the 2nd areas enclosed by sealing materials between the substrates contiguous with the 1st area and disposing reinforcing materials in the spaces between both substrates in the 2nd areas. CONSTITUTION:The 2nd areas E2, E2 are formed contiguously with both ends sides of the 1st area E1 and the 1st area E1 is communicated with the 2nd areas E2, E2. Two pieces of the reinforcing materials 20, 20 and 20, 20 consisting of the same material as the outside and inside sealing materials 18, 19 are formed respectively between a pair of the substrates 11 and 12 in the 2nd areas E2, E2. These materials 20, 20 and 20, 20 are formed in parallel at prescribed intervals along the extending line of the inside sealing materials 19, 19 from both ends of the materials 19, 19 toward the approximately central part of the 2nd areas E2, E2. The liquid crystal device having the uniform size of the space between the substrates in the effective region part and the excellent optical characteristics is thus obtd.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Technical field of invention] The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Liquid crystal devices are increasingly being used for image displays in television receivers and optical writing in optical writing printers used in computer terminals.

In a liquid crystal device used for this type of application, a substrate on which a plurality of transparent segment electrodes are formed and a substrate on which a transparent common electrode facing the segment electrodes is formed are bonded together via an incoming material, and the substrate is sealed. A liquid crystal is sealed inside the adhesive material, and a large number of minute shutter portions are arranged in order to control the transmission of light by applying a voltage between the opposing TL poles of the two substrates. In this type of liquid crystal device, in order to obtain good optical characteristics, it is required that the gap between the substrates be uniform in the portion where the shack portions are arranged.

In this liquid crystal device, in order to improve reliability against temperature, the structure shown in FIG. 5 has been conventionally adopted as a sealing portion formed between a pair of substrates using a sealing material. That is, 1 in the figure is a sealing material, and this sealing material 1 is
An elongated first area 2 sandwiching both sides of the array of shutter parts S formed by the electrodes of a pair of substrates along the array direction, and a first area adjacent to both ends of the first area 2. The second area 3.3 is wider and has more space than 2.
are formed between a pair of substrates. 1st area 2
and the second area 3.3 are in communication with each other, and both areas 2 and 3, 3 are filled with liquid crystal 4.

Here, due to self-heating of the liquid crystal device and changes in external temperature, the first
When the volume of liquid crystal 4 in area 2 changes, this body 1f
Due to the change to 1K, the substrate forming the second area 3°3 is elastically deformed. In other words, the second area 3.3 is configured as a liquid crystal reservoir that absorbs changes in the volume of the liquid crystal 4. This can prevent the generation of bubbles due to contraction of the liquid crystal and the occurrence of leakage of the liquid crystal due to expansion.

However, in a shutter-type liquid crystal device employing such a sealing structure, there is a problem in that during manufacturing, the gap between the substrates in the shutter row becomes non-uniform, which may deteriorate optical characteristics.

That is, when fabricating a structure in which a pair of substrates are bonded together via a sealing material, the pair of substrates coated with the sealing material are combined. As the sealant, in order to define the size and thickness of the gap between the pair of substrates, a material to which a gap defining material such as glass beads or glass fibers is added is used. Then, pressure is applied to each board from the outside in a direction perpendicular to the board surface to compress the gap defining material to which the sealant has been added to the size and thickness of the gap defining material. Both substrates are bonded with a sealing material with a gap corresponding to the size of the substrate.

In the liquid crystal device employing the sealing structure shown in FIG. 5, the substrate is bent as shown in the diagram in FIG. 6 by applying pressure to the substrate in the substrate bonding step. In the second area 3.3, a deflection occurs in the pair of substrates between the edge portion 1a and the intermediate edge portion 1b of the sealing material 1 along the substrate width direction, using these edges as a fulcrum. Accordingly, at both ends of the first area 2, a deflection in the opposite direction to the deflection occurs in the substrate due to the influence of the deflection occurring in the second area 3°3. Therefore, at both ends of the first area 2, the gap size between the substrates becomes larger than the specified gap size.

Note that in other parts of the first area 2, the sealing material 1 is formed along the longitudinal direction of the substrate, so that the substrate does not bend. In the first area 2 in which the shack parts are arranged in this way, the gaps between the boards are uneven, and the gaps between the shutter parts arranged at both ends of the first area 2 and the shutter part arranged in the center are uneven. Response speed, light transmission state and light blocking state! There are problems such as a difference in contrast (hereinafter referred to as contrast).

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal device with uniform gaps between substrates in the electrode forming portion and excellent optical characteristics.

[Summary of the invention]

That is, in the present invention, a first area is formed between a pair of substrates, the electrode forming portion of the substrate is sandwiched between the substrates by a sealing material, and the first area is filled with liquid crystal. A liquid crystal device in which a second area surrounded by the sealing material is formed between the two substrates, and by placing a reinforcing material in the second area to ensure a gap between the two substrates, the pressure applied to the substrates is reduced. Occurred on the board in the second Eric ゝ'2,・
□ Due to the influence of the bending, in the first m area of the front ・
This prevents bending from occurring in the part of the board that is attached.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to drawings.

An embodiment of the liquid crystal device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. The liquid crystal device applied in this embodiment is a horizontally elongated one used for optical writing in, for example, an optical writing type blink.

1 and 2 show the structure of a liquid crystal device. In the figures, reference numeral 11.12 denotes a pair of substrates made of transparent glass plates. It is glued by. Among the pair of substrates 11 and 12,
On the inner surface of one substrate 1 (hereinafter referred to as segment substrate), a large number of segment electrodes 13, 13, etc. are arranged at intervals along the length direction at the center in the width direction. On the inner surface of the board 12 (hereinafter referred to as the common board),
2 facing the segment electric bridge row on the segment board 1
The book common electrodes 14.14 are formed in parallel with an interval between them. These segment electrodes 13.13... and common electrodes 14.14 are both transparent electrodes,
At the portion where the segment electrodes t'513, 13- and the common electrode ti+574.74 face each other, a large number of shutter parts S, S, etc., which control the transmission of light, are arranged at intervals. has been done. In addition, segment board 1
1, there are leads 15°15... led out from the segment electrodes 13, 13... and these leads 1.
Terminals 16, 16, . . . connected to terminals 5, 15, .

The segment substrate 11 and the common substrate 12 are bonded together by an outer sealing material 18 and an inner sealing material 19.19 formed and arranged between these substrates 11.12. These sealing materials 1B, 19.19 are made of epoxy resin, etc., and glass fibers, glass beads, etc. are added as a spacing regulating material to define the size of the gap between the substrates 11.12. There is. The outer sealing material 18 is attached to the substrate 11.
The inner sealing material 19.19 is formed in the shape of a horizontally long frame along the peripheral edge of the shutter section 12, and the inner sealing material 19.19 is formed in parallel along the arrangement direction on both sides of the shutter section row inside the outer sealing material 18. , an elongated first area E1 sandwiching the shutter section row is formed between substrates #1 and #12. Inner sealing material 19.
Both ends of 19 are partition edges 19a, 19a along the board width direction.
and 19a, 19a are connected to both side edges of the outer sealing material 18, and these partition edges 19a, 19a and 1
9a, 19a, and both side edges and both end edges of the outer sealing material 18, a second space between the substrates 11.12 that is wider than the first area E1. It forms areas E2 and B2. That is, the second area E2.N is placed on both ends of the first area E1.
E2 is formed, and the first area E1 is a second area B2.
, is connected to B2.

A pair of substrates 1 are provided in the second areas E2 and B2, respectively.
1.12 between the outer and inner sealant 18.1
Two reinforcements 20.20 and 2 made of the same material as 9.
0.20 is formed. This reinforcing material 20.20 and 2θ, 20 extend from both ends of the inner sealing material 19.19 to the second
They are formed in parallel at predetermined intervals along the extension line of the inner sealing material 19, 19, that is, in the direction of the shutter section row, approximately at the center of the areas E2 and B2. That is, the reinforcing material 20.20 and 20°2θ are the inner sealing material 19.19
It is formed by extending both ends of the inner sealing material 19.1.
Similarly to 9, it is bonded to a pair of substrates 11 and 12.

The first area B1 and the second area E2, B2 are filled with liquid crystal 21, and this liquid crystal 21 is filled with the outer sealing material 1.
One end edge 1 of both end edges 111a and 18F1 of 8
It is injected into the area through the injection hole 22 formed in 8a. After injection, the injection hole 22 is sealed with a sealant 23. Note that the portions surrounded by both side edges of the outer sealing material I8 and the two inner sealing materials 19 and 19 are spaces 24, 24.

In the liquid crystal device configured in this way, the shutter sections S, S
Due to heat generation and external temperature changes, the first area E
The volumetric expansion or contraction of the liquid crystal 21 in the second area E2. Absorbed within E2. Therefore, leakage of the liquid crystal 21 due to expansion of the liquid crystal 2 and generation of bubbles due to contraction can be prevented.

Next, a state in which a liquid crystal device is warped in the process of manufacturing the liquid crystal device will be described.

That is, when manufacturing a structure in which a pair of substrates are bonded via a sealing material, the outer sealing material 18 and the inner sealing material are attached to the inner surface of either the segment substrate 1 or the common substrate I2. 19.19 and reinforcement 20.20 and 20
．． 20, segment board 11 and common board 12
and are placed facing each other and combined. Next, segment board 1
A jig is pressed against the common substrate 1 and the common substrate 12 from the outside through an elastic body such as rubber, and pressure is applied in the thickness direction.

This pressure causes each of the sealing materials 18 and 19 and the reinforcing material 2 to
0 is compressed to the size and thickness of the gap defining material included therein, and both substrates 11 and 12 are bonded together via the sealing material 18 and 19 and the reinforcing material 20. Here, the deflection that occurs in both the segment substrates 11 and the common JL4L12 due to the pressure applied to them is as shown in the diagram in FIG. 3. That is, in the second areas E2 and Ej, the edge portion 18a of the outer sealing material 18 and the reinforcing material 20
．． The portion between the tip portions 2.0a and 2.0a of 20 (the portion where the reinforcing material 20° 20 is not formed) is the edge portion 1.
8a and the tip portions 20a, 20a as fulcrums, the substrate 11
．． 12 is deflected. Then, the substrate 11.
The amount of deflection of each part of 12 changes continuously because the rigidity of this board is high. Therefore, the reinforcement 20.20t - the formed part, i.e. the tip 20a of the reinforcement 20.20
, 20a and the partition edge 19a, 1 of the inner sealing material 19.19.
In the portion between the substrate 11 and 9a, the substrate 11.12 is deflected in the opposite direction to the deflection generated in the portion where the reinforcing material is not formed. However, this deflection is suppressed by the reinforcing material 20.20 formed along the row direction of the shutter section, and the reinforcing material 20.20 adjacent to the inner sealing material 19.19
At a base of 0.20, no deflection occurs in the substrate II, 12. Therefore, the second area Fi2. Due to the influence of the deflection that occurred in the substrate 11.12 at E2, the first area ]li! It is possible to prevent the substrates 11 and 12 from bending at I. That is, the deflection occurring in the substrate 11.12 is applied to the second area E,2,E,? can be kept within the range. In addition, in the first area E1, the substrate 1 is sealed by the inner sealing material 19, 19 formed along the shutter row direction.
1.12) It is possible to prevent deflection from occurring along the shutter section row. Therefore, in the process of bonding the substrates 11.12 to the sealing materials 18 and 19.19 by applying pressure to the substrates 11.12 in the first area g1.
It is possible to completely prevent the gaps between the holes from becoming uneven. Therefore, the size of the gap between the substrates 11 and 12 in the effective portion where the shutter parts S, S, etc. are formed is uniform, and unevenness in response speed, contrast, etc. for each shutter part S, S, etc. is prevented. It is possible to obtain a liquid crystal device with excellent optical properties Ve without causing this phenomenon.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment, in which the same parts as in FIGS. 1 and 2 are given the same reference numerals. Since it is formed at a separate position without being integrally connected to the end of the dressing material 19.19, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the above-mentioned embodiment.

Note that it is desirable that the base end portions of the reinforcing members 20.20 be as close to both ends of the inner sealing material 19.19 as possible.

Note that the liquid crystal device of each of the embodiments described above is of a type in which the first area and the second area are connected and both areas are filled with liquid crystal, but the invention is not limited to this. It is acceptable even if the area is separated from the first area and only the first area is filled with liquid crystals.Also, the second area is not limited to two, but may have one or three or more liquid crystals. Further, the present invention is not limited to liquid crystal devices used in optical writing printers, but can be widely applied to liquid crystal devices used for displaying images in television receivers.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystal device in which the size of the gap between the substrates in the effective area is uniform and excellent optical characteristics.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention.
1 and 2 are a plan view and a vertical cross-sectional view showing a liquid crystal device, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the distribution of strain generated in the liquid crystal device during the manufacturing process, and FIG. 4 is a liquid crystal display of another example. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the device, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the sealing area II in the conventional liquid crystal device, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the distribution of distortion occurring in the conventional liquid crystal device. 11.・Segment board, 12...Common board, 1
3...Segment electrode, 14...Common electrode, 18
...Outer sealing material, 19...Inner sealing material, 20...
Reinforcing material, El...first area, E2...second area, S...shutter section.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A first substrate on which a plurality of segment electrodes are formed;
A sealing material is disposed between a second substrate on which a common electrode facing the plurality of segment electrodes is formed, and the sealing material is adhered to both of the substrates to define a gap between the two substrates, and the first and second A first area filled with liquid crystal is formed between the two substrates by sandwiching the electrode forming portions of the two substrates with the sealing material, and the first and second substrates are arranged adjacent to the first area. A second area surrounded by the sealing material is formed between the two substrates, and a reinforcing material for maintaining the distance between the first and second substrates is disposed in the second area. Device. (2) The liquid crystal device according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing material is located along the segment electrode arrangement direction of the first substrate. (3) The liquid crystal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcing material is made of the same material as the sealing material. (4) The liquid crystal device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second area communicates with the first area and is filled with liquid crystal.