JP2011059267A - Display panel and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensive display panel including a liquid crystal display part and a touch operation part. <P>SOLUTION: A first substrate 5 constituting a front surface and a second substrate 6 constituting a rear surface are disposed so as to face each other with a gap 9 therebetween, and a liquid crystal display part 2 is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a touch operation part 4 including an electrode 11 for touch operation is formed on the rear side of the first substrate, and a seal part 12 partitioning the liquid crystal display part and the electrode for touch operation is provided from the first substrate through the second substrate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a display panel including a liquid crystal display unit and a touch operation unit, and a manufacturing method thereof.

  In the above display panel, conventionally, a liquid crystal display panel having a liquid crystal display unit and a touch operation panel having a touch operation unit are separately manufactured, and the touch operation panel and the liquid crystal display panel are vertically overlapped to form a frame. It is assembled integrally inside the body (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-247096 A

When manufacturing the above conventional display panel, it is necessary to manufacture the liquid crystal display panel and the touch operation panel separately, and then assemble the liquid crystal display panel and the touch operation panel with high precision inside the frame. Therefore, there is a drawback that the manufacturing cost tends to increase.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an inexpensive display panel including a liquid crystal display unit and a touch operation unit.

  According to a first characteristic configuration of the present invention, a first substrate constituting the front surface and a second substrate constituting the back surface are arranged to face each other with a gap therebetween, and a liquid crystal is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. Provided with a display unit, a touch operation electrode is formed on the back side of the first substrate to form a touch operation unit, and a seal unit for partitioning the liquid crystal display unit and the touch operation electrode is provided with the first substrate. It is in the point provided over the said 2nd board | substrate.

The display panel of this configuration is partitioned by a seal portion with respect to the liquid crystal display portion on the back side of the first substrate where the liquid crystal display portion is provided between the second substrate, that is, the side where the liquid crystal display portion is provided. A touch operation unit including the touch operation electrodes is formed.
Therefore, when assembling the first substrate and the second substrate, the liquid crystal display unit and the touch operation unit can be assembled at the same time.
Therefore, with the display panel having this configuration, it is possible to provide an inexpensive display panel including the liquid crystal display unit and the touch operation unit without requiring time and effort for assembling the liquid crystal display unit and the touch operation unit.

  According to a second characteristic configuration of the present invention, the thickness of the touch operation electrode is formed to be thinner than a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the touch operation electrode is disposed on the back surface of the first substrate. And a seal portion for joining the first substrate and the second substrate is provided along the outer periphery of the touch operation portion.

If it is this structure, the 1st board | substrate provided with the electrode for touch operation can be supported by a 2nd board | substrate through the seal | sticker part provided along the outer periphery of a touch operation part.
Therefore, the amount of bending deformation of the first substrate due to the touch operation of the touch operation unit is reduced, and the distortion of the display surface in the liquid crystal display unit due to the touch operation is small.
In addition, the first substrate and the second substrate can be supported with each other by a seal portion that partitions the liquid crystal display portion and the touch operation electrode and a seal portion provided along the outer periphery of the touch operation portion. Strength can be increased.
Furthermore, since the touch operation electrode is disposed on the back surface of the first substrate and is close to the touch operation surface, the detection sensitivity of the touch operation can be increased.

  A third characteristic configuration of the present invention is that the touch operation electrode is disposed on the back surface of the first substrate and attached to the back surface side of the first substrate.

With this configuration, a structure for sealing the touch operation electrode is unnecessary, and the structure can be simplified.
Further, the area of the second substrate can be reduced, and the structure can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  According to a fourth characteristic configuration of the present invention, the touch operation electrode is a capacitance type, and the film is separated from the surface of the first substrate in a region of the surface of the first substrate including at least the touch operation unit. It is in the point where the body is provided.

With this configuration, a capacitive touch operation unit can be formed, and the touch operation can be detected with high sensitivity by pressing the film body with a finger and bringing it into contact with the first substrate.
Further, since the film body is separated from the surface of the first substrate, even if water droplets or the like adhere to the film body, erroneous detection due to the water droplets or the like can be prevented.
Furthermore, since the surface of the first substrate can be protected by the film body, the surface of the first substrate is hardly damaged.

  A fifth characteristic configuration of the present invention is that air is sealed between the surface of the first substrate and the film body.

  With this configuration, when the touch operation is not performed, the surface of the first substrate and the film body can be reliably separated, and water droplets or the like can enter the film body and adhere to the touch operation surface. Therefore, erroneous detection can be prevented more reliably.

  A sixth characteristic configuration of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a display panel according to any one of the first to fifth characteristic configurations, wherein the first electrode for liquid crystal and the electrode for touch operation are arranged on the back surface of the first substrate. A first substrate electrode disposing step, a second substrate electrode disposing step of disposing a second electrode for liquid crystal on a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate, the first electrode for liquid crystal, A bonding step of bonding the first substrate on which the touch operation electrode is disposed and the second substrate on which the second electrode for liquid crystal is disposed with the seal portion interposed therebetween. In the point.

If it is a manufacturing method of this structure, the 1st electrode for liquid crystals which comprises the electrode for liquid crystals, and the electrode for touch operation may be arrange | positioned and manufactured in the back surface of the 1st board | substrate in the 1st board | substrate electrode arrangement | positioning process. it can.
Therefore, the manufacturing process can be simplified as compared with the case where the liquid crystal display unit and the touch operation unit are separately manufactured and assembled.

It is a top view of the display panel which shows 1st Embodiment. It is the II-II sectional view taken on the line in FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the manufacturing method of a display panel. It is sectional drawing of the display panel which shows 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the display panel which shows 3rd Embodiment. It is the VI-VI sectional view taken on the line in FIG. It is the VII-VII sectional view taken on the line in FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
1 and 2 show a display panel A according to the present invention. 1 is a plan view of the display panel A as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG.
The display panel A is used to control residential facilities such as a water heater, solar power generation equipment, lighting equipment, air conditioning equipment, and electric curtain.

The display panel A includes a liquid crystal display unit 2 having a rectangular liquid crystal display surface 1 and a capacitive touch operation unit (electrostatic pad) 4 having a plurality of rectangular touch operation surfaces 3.
The plurality of touch operation surfaces 3 are arranged in an L shape along the outer periphery of the liquid crystal display surface 1 at intervals from each other.

The display panel A is, for example, a glass first substrate 5 having translucency constituting the surface of the display panel A, and a second glass made similarly having translucency constituting the back surface of the display panel A. The substrate 6 and the substrate 6 are arranged to face each other with a gap 9 therebetween.
The 1st board | substrate 5 and the 2nd board | substrate 6 are cut | disconnected with the cutter etc., and are formed in the appropriate dimension. The first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 may be enhanced in strength by removing microcracks by etching the cut end surface with a chemical solution of ammonium fluoride.

  The liquid crystal display unit 2 is provided between the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6, and a capacitance type is provided on the back side of the first substrate 5, specifically, on the first substrate surface 5 a on the second substrate 6 side. The touch operation unit 4 is formed with the touch operation electrode 11.

For example, the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 have the same thickness and the long sides a1 and a2, and the short side b2 of the second substrate 6 is longer than the short side b1 of the first substrate 5. Is also a short rectangle.
The first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 are aligned with the end surfaces along the left and right short sides b1, b2, and the end surfaces of the long sides a1, a2 on one side of the pair of long sides a1, a2 are aligned, A portion along the other long side a1 of one substrate 5 is overhanged from the second substrate 6 and joined to each other by seal portions 12 and 13 described later.

  The touch operation electrode 11 is formed between the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 so that the thickness thereof is thinner than the gap 9. The liquid crystal display unit 2 and the touch operation electrode 11 are partitioned by a seal unit 12 provided across the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6.

The seal portion 12 joins the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 to seal the gap 7 provided with the liquid crystal display portion 2 and isolates the liquid crystal display portion 2 from the touch operation electrode 11. is doing.
Further, a seal portion 13 that joins the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 is provided along the outer periphery of the touch operation portion 4, and a gap 8 in which the touch operation electrode 11 is provided is provided between the seal portion 12 and the seal portion 13. And sealed.

The liquid crystal display unit 2 is configured by disposing a liquid crystal electrode 10 in a gap 7 between the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6.
The liquid crystal electrode 10 includes a pixel electrode 10a as a first electrode for liquid crystal and a common electrode 10b as a second electrode for liquid crystal. The pixel electrode 10 is attached to the first substrate surface 5 a and the common electrode 10 b is attached to the second substrate 6.

Each of the gaps 7 and 8 is filled with liquid crystal 16. The gap 8 provided with the touch operation electrode 11 is filled with a liquid other than liquid crystal such as silicon-based oil or an inert gas such as nitrogen gas, argon gas or helium gas. May be.
Each of the sealing portions 12 and 13 includes sealing portions 12a and 13a in which the opening for filling the liquid crystal 16 is sealed with the sealing portion.

A connection substrate 17 integrally including a liquid crystal connection portion that electrically connects the liquid crystal electrode 10 to the outside and a touch panel connection portion that electrically connects the touch operation electrode 11 to the outside is the first substrate 5. Of these, the first substrate surface 5 a is provided on the overhang portion 5 b from the second substrate 6.
Although not shown, the liquid crystal connection portion is connected to the liquid crystal electrode 10 via the driving integrated circuit of the liquid crystal display portion 2.

  The plurality of touch operation surfaces 3 are provided in a region including at least the touch operation unit 4 on the surface of the first substrate 5. Each touch operation surface 3 is provided with a dome-shaped film body 18 separated from the surface of the first substrate 5.

The film body 18 is composed of a film 19 having a plurality of convex surface portions 19 a corresponding to each of the plurality of touch operation surfaces 3 and a communication convex surface portion 19 b communicating between adjacent convex surface portions 19 a. The film 19 is blow molded, has translucency, and is attached to the surface of the first substrate 5. Air is sealed between the surface of the first substrate 5 and the film body 18.
In addition, the polarizing plate 14 is laminated on the surface of the first substrate 5, and the film 19 is stuck on the polarizing plate 14.

  Therefore, the film bodies 18 for each touch operation surface 3 are communicated with each other through the communication protrusions 19b, and when the film body 18 is pressed with a finger, the air inside is separated from the other protrusions 19a. The film body 18 can be brought into contact with the touch operation surface 3 by a light pressing operation.

  The manufacturing method of the display panel A includes a first substrate electrode disposing step, a second substrate electrode disposing step, a joining step, a liquid crystal filling step, and a finishing step. The first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 may remove the microcracks by etching the cut end faces with a chemical solution of ammonium fluoride.

In the first substrate electrode arranging step, as shown in FIG. 3A, the pixel electrode (first liquid crystal electrode) 10a and the touch operation electrode 11 are arranged on the first substrate surface 5a of the first substrate 5. To do.
In the second substrate electrode arranging step, as shown in FIG. 3B, the common electrode (second electrode for liquid crystal) 10b is arranged on the second substrate surface 6a of the second substrate 6 facing the first substrate 5. To do.
The first substrate electrode placement step and the second substrate electrode placement step may be performed simultaneously, or one of the steps may be performed prior to the other step.

  In the bonding step, the liquid crystal filling port is left on the first substrate surface 5a where the pixel electrode 10a and the touch operation electrode 11 are disposed or the second substrate surface 6a where the common electrode 10b is disposed, Seal portions 12 and 13 such as epoxy resin are printed, and the first substrate 5 and the second substrate surface 6 are joined with the seal portions 12 and 13 interposed therebetween as shown in FIG.

  In the liquid crystal filling step, although not shown, the gap 9 (7, 8) of the semi-finished product in which the first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 are joined is degassed, and the semi-finished product is immersed in the liquid crystal reservoir. 9 (7, 8) is filled with liquid crystal.

  In the finishing step, although not shown, the liquid crystal filling port is sealed with sealing materials 12a and 13a, the connection substrate 17 is connected to the pixel electrode 10a and the touch operation electrode 11 on the first substrate surface 5a, and the resin film 19 is connected. Is attached to the surface of the first substrate 5 to provide a film body 18 for each touch operation surface 3.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the display panel A according to the present invention.
In the present embodiment, the first substrate 5 having a thickness smaller than that of the first substrate 5 shown in the first embodiment is provided so that the change in capacitance accompanying the touch operation of the touch panel 4 is increased, and the touch operation is performed. The detection ability is improved.

In order to prevent a decrease in strength of the display panel A due to the provision of the first substrate 5 having a small thickness, the second substrate 6 is made thicker than that shown in the first embodiment.
Therefore, it is possible to increase the detection capability of the touch operation on the touch panel 4 while preventing the strength of the display panel A from being lowered.
Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Third Embodiment]
5 to 7 show another embodiment of the display panel A according to the present invention.
The first substrate 5 and the second substrate 6 have the left and right short sides b1 and b2 aligned and overhang the portions along the long sides a1 of the first substrate 5 from the long sides a2 of the second substrate 6. Thus, the seal portions 12 and 13 are joined to each other.

  The touch operation unit 4 has a first touch operation unit 4a provided in a portion facing the second substrate 6 of the first substrate 5 as shown in FIG. 7, and an overshoot not facing the second substrate 6 as shown in FIG. The second touch operation unit 4b is provided on the hang portion 5b, and the touch operation electrode 11 of the second touch operation unit 4b is attached to the back side of the first substrate 5 in an open state.

According to the present embodiment, since the second touch operation unit 4b is not provided with the second substrate 6 facing the first substrate 5, the second substrate 6 has the dimensions shown in the first embodiment. It can be made smaller than 6, simplifying the structure and reducing the manufacturing cost.
Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[Other Embodiments]
1. In the display panel according to the present invention, only the liquid crystal display unit may be provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the touch operation electrode may be attached to the back surface side of the first substrate.
2. In the display panel according to the present invention, the touch operation unit may include a strain sensing type touch operation electrode or a resistance film type touch operation electrode other than the capacitance type.
3. In the display panel according to the present invention, the first substrate and the second substrate may be provided even if the seal portion that partitions the liquid crystal display portion and the touch operation electrode is a seal portion that separates the liquid crystal display portion and the touch operation electrode. It may be a seal part that reinforces the strength of the substrate by joining together.
When the seal portion is provided to reinforce the substrate strength, the seal portion is provided intermittently so that the region where the liquid crystal display portion is provided and the region where the touch operation electrode is provided communicate with each other. Also good.
4). In the display panel according to the present invention, a touch operation unit including a touch operation electrode may be formed on the second substrate surface facing the first substrate of the second substrate, which is the back side of the first substrate. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Liquid crystal display part 4 Touch operation part 5 1st board | substrate 6 2nd board | substrate 9 Crevice 10a 1st electrode for liquid crystals 10b 2nd electrode for liquid crystals 11 Touch operation electrode 12 Seal part 13 Seal part 18 Film body

Claims (6)

The first substrate constituting the front surface and the second substrate constituting the back surface are arranged to face each other with a gap between them,
A liquid crystal display unit is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, a touch operation electrode is provided on the back side of the first substrate, and a touch operation unit is formed.
The display panel which provided the seal | sticker part which divides the said liquid crystal display part and the said electrode for touch operations over the said 1st board | substrate and the said 2nd board | substrate. The thickness of the touch operation electrode is formed thinner than the gap between the first substrate and the second substrate,
The touch operation electrode is disposed on a back surface of the first substrate, and a seal portion that joins the first substrate and the second substrate is provided along an outer periphery of the touch operation portion. The display panel described in 1.   2. The display panel according to claim 1, wherein the touch operation electrode is disposed on a back surface of the first substrate and attached to a back surface side of the first substrate.   The electrode for touch operation is an electrostatic capacitance type, and a film body spaced apart from the surface of the first substrate is provided in a region including at least the touch operation part in the surface of the first substrate. 4. The display panel according to any one of 3.   The display panel according to claim 4, wherein air is sealed between a surface of the first substrate and the film body. A method for manufacturing a display panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A first substrate electrode disposing step of disposing the liquid crystal first electrode and the touch operation electrode on the back surface of the first substrate;
A second substrate electrode disposing step of disposing a second electrode for liquid crystal on a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate;
The first substrate on which the first electrode for liquid crystal and the electrode for touch operation are disposed, and the second substrate on which the second electrode for liquid crystal is disposed are sandwiched between the seal portions. A manufacturing method of a display panel having a joining process of joining.

Images