JP2018036300A - Manufacturing method of display device, and display device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to improve the reading accuracy of a cutting reading mark (m). Kind Code: A1 A circularly polarizing plate 48 having a cutout n is formed on a display surface side F of a display area A of a flexible substrate 10, and the cutout n overlaps a reading mark m for cutting. a step of reading the reading mark m for cutting through the notch n using the optical device X, and a size corresponding to the outer shape of the frame area B based on the read reading mark m for cutting determining cutting lines C1-C3 for cutting the back reinforcing film 58, and cutting the back reinforcing film 58 along the cutting lines C1-C3. [Selection drawing] Fig. 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a display device manufacturing method and a display device.

  In recent years, in order to reduce the size of a display device or expand a display area for displaying an image, it is required to narrow a so-called frame area at the periphery of the display area (narrow frame). In particular, in mobile devices such as smartphones, there is an increasing demand for narrow frame.

  Thus, it has been studied to narrow the frame by using a flexible flexible substrate and bending the area outside the display area to the back side of the display area. Wiring and circuits are provided in the area outside the display area. When a flexible substrate is bent, there is a possibility that disconnection or breakage of wiring or the like may occur due to bending stress acting on the bent portion. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration for preventing disconnection or the like by a regulation film. Yes.

JP 2007-27222 A

  In order to reinforce the flexible substrate, it is conceivable to attach a reinforcing film to the inner surface of the bent flexible substrate. The reinforcing film preferably has a size corresponding to the frame region of the flexible substrate, and may be cut after being attached to the flexible substrate. The cutting of the reinforcing film may be performed by determining a cutting line based on the position of the alignment mark provided on the flexible substrate. By reading the alignment mark using an optical device, it is possible to determine the cutting line with high accuracy. However, when reading an alignment mark using an optical device, there are the following problems.

  In some cases, a polarizing plate is provided on the display surface side of the flexible substrate in order to prevent reflection of external light in the display region, display a stereoscopic image, or the like. However, when the polarizing plate is provided so as to cover the entire surface of the flexible substrate, the light emitted from the optical device cannot pass through the polarizing plate, and the alignment mark (reading mark for cutting) may not be read.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a display device and a display device that improve the reading accuracy of a reading mark for cutting.

  A method for manufacturing a display device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a display region that displays an image, a frame region that is a peripheral region of the display region and is provided with a reading mark for cutting, a bending region, and a terminal having a terminal A step of preparing a flexible substrate in which the regions are arranged in this order; a step of providing a first reinforcing film on the back side of the display region of the flexible substrate; and display of the display region of the flexible substrate A step of providing a polarizing plate having a non-polarizing part having no polarization property on the surface side so that the non-polarizing part overlaps the reading mark for cutting, and using an optical device, The first reinforcing film is sized to correspond to the outer shape of the frame region based on the step of reading the cutting read mark and the position of the read cutting read mark. Determining a cutting line for cutting, cutting the first reinforcing film along the cutting line, placing a spacer on the back side of the display area of the flexible substrate, and the shape of the spacer And bending the bent region so as to be along, and arranging the terminal region on the back side of the spacer.

  A display device according to another aspect of the present invention includes a spacer, a flexible display region that displays an image, a frame region that is a peripheral region of the display region and is provided with a cutting read mark, A flexible substrate in which a bent region and a terminal region having terminals are provided in this order, and the terminal region is arranged on the back side of the spacer by bending the bent region along the spacer. A polarizing plate provided on the display surface side of the display area of the flexible substrate, and the polarizing plate has a non-polarizing portion having no polarization at a position overlapping the reading mark for cutting. Features.

It is a side view which shows typically the whole structure of the display apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows the cross section of the part enclosed with the circle O shown with the broken line of FIG. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows the edge part vicinity of the terminal area | region of a flexible substrate. It is a side view which shows the display apparatus of a state which unfolded the flexible substrate before the process of a back reinforcement film. It is the top view which looked at the display apparatus shown to FIG. 4A from the back side. It is a side view which shows the display apparatus of the state which expand | deployed the flexible substrate after the process of a back reinforcement film. It is the top view which looked at the display apparatus shown to FIG. 5A from the back side. It is a top view which shows pixel arrangement | positioning in a flexible substrate, and a peripheral circuit.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the disclosure is merely an example, and those skilled in the art can easily conceive of appropriate modifications while maintaining the gist of the invention are naturally included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, the drawings may be schematically represented with respect to the width, thickness, shape, and the like of each part in comparison with actual aspects for the sake of clarity of explanation, but are merely examples, and the interpretation of the present invention is not limited. It is not limited. In addition, in the present specification and each drawing, elements similar to those described above with reference to the previous drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description may be omitted as appropriate.

  Further, in this embodiment, in expressing a mode of arranging another structure “on” a certain structure, when simply “on” is described, it touches a certain structure unless otherwise specified. As described above, it includes both a case where another structure is disposed immediately above and a case where another structure is disposed via a third structure above a certain structure.

  FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing the overall configuration of the display device according to the present embodiment. In the following description, the side (lower side of FIG. 1 and the like) that displays an image in the display area A of the flexible substrate 10 is defined as the display surface side F, and the opposite side of the display surface side F (upper side of FIG. ) Is defined as the back side R.

  In the present embodiment, an organic electroluminescence display device will be described as an example of the display device 100, but a liquid crystal display device or the like may be used as long as the display device uses the flexible substrate 10. The display device 100 combines a plurality of color unit pixels SP (sub-pixels) composed of red, green, and blue to form a full-color pixel P (pixel), and displays a full-color image (see FIG. 6).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the display device 100 has a flexible and transparent flexible substrate 10. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 6, the details of the configuration of the flexible substrate 10 and its periphery will be described. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a section surrounded by a circle O indicated by a broken line in FIG. In FIG. 2, unlike the other figures, the upper side in the figure is shown as the display surface side F, and the lower side is shown as the back side R. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a pixel arrangement and a peripheral circuit in the flexible substrate, and is a plan view showing a state in which the flexible substrate is developed. As shown in FIG. 6, pixels P arranged in a matrix are provided in the display area A of the flexible substrate 10, and peripheral circuits 11, 13, and 15 are provided in a frame area B described later. In FIG. 6, only a part of the pixels P is illustrated, but the pixels P are provided in substantially the entire display area A. Although not shown, each wiring such as a gate line and a signal line extends from the peripheral circuits 11, 13, and 15 to the display area A side. A signal line extends from an integrated circuit chip 74 described later, and extends to each pixel P.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the flexible substrate 10 includes a first substrate 12 made of resin. An undercoat 14 is formed on the first substrate 12 as a barrier against impurities contained therein, and a semiconductor layer 16 is formed thereon. A source electrode 18 and a drain electrode 20 are electrically connected to the semiconductor layer 16, and a gate insulating film 22 is formed to cover the semiconductor layer 16. A gate electrode 24 is formed on the gate insulating film 22, and an interlayer insulating film 26 is formed to cover the gate electrode 24. The source electrode 18 and the drain electrode 20 penetrate the gate insulating film 22 and the interlayer insulating film 26. The semiconductor layer 16, the source electrode 18, the drain electrode 20, and the gate electrode 24 constitute a thin film transistor 28. A passivation film 30 is provided so as to cover the thin film transistor 28.

  A planarization layer 32 is provided on the passivation film 30. A plurality of pixel electrodes 34 (for example, anodes) configured to correspond to the plurality of unit pixels SP are provided on the planarization layer 32. The planarization layer 32 is formed so that at least the surface on which the pixel electrode 34 is provided is flat. The pixel electrode 34 is electrically connected to one of the source electrode 18 and the drain electrode 20 on the semiconductor layer 16 through a contact hole 36 that penetrates the planarization layer 32 and the passivation film 30.

  An insulating layer 38 is formed on the planarization layer 32 and the pixel electrode 34. The insulating layer 38 is formed on the periphery of the pixel electrode 34 so as to open a part (for example, the center) of the pixel electrode 34. A bank surrounding a part of the pixel electrode 34 is formed by the insulating layer 38.

  A light emitting element layer 40 is provided on the pixel electrode 34. The light emitting element layer 40 is continuously mounted on the plurality of pixel electrodes 34 and is also mounted on the insulating layer 38. The light emitting element layer 40 may be provided separately (separated) for each pixel electrode 34. In this case, the light emitting element layer 40 emits light in blue, red, and green corresponding to each pixel. In that case, there is no need to provide a color filter described later. The light emitting element layer 40 includes at least a light emitting layer, and may further include at least one of an electron transport layer, a hole transport layer, an electron injection layer, and a hole injection layer.

  A common electrode 42 (for example, a cathode) is provided on the light emitting element layer 40 so as to be in contact with the light emitting element layer 40 above the plurality of pixel electrodes 34. The common electrode 42 is formed so as to be placed above the insulating layer 38 serving as a bank. The light emitting element layer 40 is sandwiched between the pixel electrode 34 and the common electrode 42, and emits light with luminance controlled by a current flowing between them.

  The light emitting element layer 40 is sealed by being covered with a sealing layer 44 that is stacked on the common electrode 42, and is shielded from moisture. Above the sealing layer 44, a colored layer 50 composed of a plurality of colors (for example, blue, red and green) is provided via a filling layer 46, and between the adjacent colored layers 50 of different colors, The black matrix 52 is formed of metal, resin, or the like to constitute a color filter.

  Further, a circularly polarizing plate 48 is provided on the color filter of the flexible substrate 10. The circularly polarizing plate 48 is provided in the display area A of the flexible substrate 10 for the purpose of preventing reflection of external light, displaying stereoscopic images, and the like. A touch panel or the like may be further provided on the circularly polarizing plate 48.

  FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the end of the terminal region D (see FIG. 1) of the flexible substrate 10. A wiring 68 is provided in the terminal region D. The wiring 68 extends from the display area A through the frame area B and the bent area C to the end of the terminal area D. For example, the wiring 68 is formed in the same layer as the source electrode 18 and the drain electrode 20. The wiring 68 has a terminal 70. The terminal 70 is electrically connected to an integrated circuit chip 74 and an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) substrate 76 through an anisotropic conductive film 72. The integrated circuit chip 74 may be disposed on the FPC board 76 and electrically connected thereto.

  Furthermore, the overall configuration of the display device 100 will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in addition to the flexible substrate 10 and the circularly polarizing plate 48 described above, the display device 100 further includes a spacer 56, back reinforcing films 58 and 64, an integrated circuit chip 74, and an FPC substrate 76. Have.

  The flexible substrate 10 is provided with a display area A for displaying an image, a frame area B on the periphery of the display area A, a bent area C, and a terminal area D having terminals in this order. The frame area B is provided so as to surround the four sides of the display area A in plan view (see FIG. 5B). The bent region C has a shape bent along the shape of the guide portion 56 a of the spacer 56. The terminal region D is arranged on the back side R of the spacer 56 by bending the bent region C.

  On the display surface side F of the frame region B, a cutting read mark (alignment mark) m is provided. The cutting read mark m is a mark that serves as a mark when the back reinforcing film 58 is cut into a size corresponding to the outer shape of the frame region B. For example, a “+” mark may be formed as the cutting read mark m. A pair of cutting read marks m are provided so as to face each other in the width direction of the flexible substrate 10 (see FIG. 5B).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the back reinforcing film 58 is attached to the back side R of the display area A and the frame area B of the flexible substrate 10. The back reinforcing film 64 is attached to the display surface side F of the terminal region D of the flexible substrate 10. That is, the back reinforcing films 58 and 64 are respectively attached to the inner surface of the flexible substrate 10 that is bent. In the present embodiment, the back reinforcing film 58 and the back reinforcing film 64 are configured to be completely separated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a part thereof is connected, and the connecting part is a flexible substrate. The structure bent so that the bending area | region C of 10 may be sufficient.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the back reinforcing film 64 is attached to the surface of the back surface R of the spacer 56 by an adhesive member 66, and the back reinforcing film 58 is attached to the display surface side of the spacer 56 by the adhesive member 62. Affixed to the surface of F. The adhesive member 62 and the adhesive member 66 may be made of adhesive resin or the like, or may be a double-sided tape or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the spacer 56 has a shape in which a guide portion 56 a that contacts the bent region C of the flexible substrate 10 is rounded in a side view. Since it has such a shape, disconnection or breakage of the wiring 68 or the like hardly occurs in the bent region C of the flexible substrate 10.

  The circularly polarizing plate 48 is provided on the display surface side F of the display area A and the frame area B of the flexible substrate 10. The circularly polarizing plate 48 has a notch n penetrating from the back surface side R to the display surface side F at a position overlapping the cutting reading mark m provided in the frame region B of the flexible substrate 10. In the present embodiment, the circularly polarizing plate 48 is rectangular, and the notch n is formed at the corner of the circularly polarizing plate 48.

  The display device 100 described above can be manufactured by the following manufacturing method described with reference to FIGS. 4A to 5B. FIG. 4A is a side view showing the display device in a state where the flexible substrate is unfolded before the back reinforcing film is processed. 4B is a plan view of the display device shown in FIG. 4A as viewed from the back side. FIG. 5A is a side view showing the display device in a state where the flexible substrate is unfolded after the back reinforcing film is processed. FIG. 5B is a plan view of the display device shown in FIG. 5A viewed from the back side.

  First, the flexible substrate 10 in a developed state (a state before bending) is prepared. A reading mark m for cutting is provided on the display surface side F of the frame region B of the flexible substrate 10. Further, the integrated circuit chip 74 and the FPC board 76 are provided in the terminal region D of the flexible substrate 10. Further, the back reinforcing film 58 before processing is attached to the back side R of the display area A, and the back reinforcing film 64 before processing is attached to the back side R of the terminal area D. As shown in FIG. 4A, the back reinforcing film 58 before processing is larger than the size of the outer shape of the frame region B, and has a size protruding from the frame region B in a plan view, and the back reinforcing film 64 before processing. Is larger than the size of the outer shape of the terminal region D, and is a size that protrudes from the terminal region D in plan view.

  Further, a circularly polarizing plate 48 is provided on the display surface side F of the display area A and the frame area B. The circularly polarizing plate 48 is provided with a notch n so as to overlap the reading mark m for cutting on the flexible substrate 10. The display device 100 is in the state shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B through the above steps. The order in which the back reinforcing films 58 and 64, the circularly polarizing plate 48, and the like are provided on the flexible substrate 10 is not limited to that described above.

  Next, the back reinforcing film 58 is cut into a size corresponding to the outer shape of the frame region B. Specifically, the back reinforcing film 58 is cut along the cutting lines C1 to C3 shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B (two-dot chain lines shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B). Further, the back reinforcing film 64 is cut into a size corresponding to the outer shape of the terminal region D. The cutting of the back reinforcing film 64 may be performed along with cutting the back reinforcing film 58 along the cutting lines C1 and C2.

  The cutting lines C <b> 1 to C <b> 3 are determined based on the position of the cutting reading mark m read by reading the cutting reading mark m using the optical device X. As the optical device X, for example, a device that detects the position of the cutting read mark m by irradiating the cutting read mark m with light L and detecting the light L reflected by the cutting read mark m. Use. The cutting read mark m is provided in the vicinity of the edge of the frame region B of the flexible substrate 10. Thus, the cutting read mark m is arranged at a position suitable for determining the cutting lines C1 to C3 for cutting the back reinforcing film 58 so as to correspond to the outer shape of the frame region B.

  Here, when the circular polarizing plate 48 is provided so as to cover the entire surface of the flexible substrate 10 when reading the cutting read mark m provided on the flexible substrate 10 using the optical device X, the cutting read mark m is provided. May not be read. When the circularly polarizing plate 48 covers the reading mark m for cutting, there is a possibility that the light L from the optical device X cannot reach the reading mark m for cutting or the light L that has reached the reading mark L cannot be reflected. Because there is. As a result, the cutting lines C1 to C3 may not be determined accurately.

  In the present embodiment, the circularly polarizing plate 48 has a notch n penetrating from the back surface side R to the display surface side F so as to overlap the reading mark m for cutting. Therefore, the light L from the optical device X reaches the cutting read mark m through the notch n. Therefore, it is possible to reliably read the cutting read mark m using the optical device X. Thus, in the present embodiment, even when the circularly polarizing plate 48 is provided on the flexible substrate 10, the cutting lines C1 to C3 of the back reinforcing film 58 are accurately determined, and the processing of the back reinforcing film 58 is performed with high accuracy. Is possible.

  A state after cutting the back reinforcing film 58 and the back reinforcing film 64 along the cutting lines C1 to C3 is shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the back reinforcing film 58 has a size corresponding to the outer shape of the frame region B, and the back reinforcing film 64 has a size corresponding to the outer shape of the terminal region D.

  Furthermore, a spacer 56 is prepared in which an adhesive member 62 is provided on the display surface side F surface and an adhesive member 66 is provided on the back surface side R surface. The adhesive members 62 and 66 may be adhesive resin or the like, or may be a double-sided tape or the like. Then, the spacer 56 is arranged on the flexible substrate 10 arranged on a work table or the like. At this time, the spacer 56 is positioned with respect to the flexible substrate 10 by attaching the back reinforcing film 64 to the adhesive member 62 provided on the spacer 56 by the adhesive member 66.

  Then, the bending region C of the flexible substrate 10 is bent along the guide portion 56 a of the spacer 56. Then, the terminal region D is disposed on the back side R of the spacer 56. At this time, the back reinforcing film 64 is affixed to the adhesive member 66 provided in the spacer 56 to maintain the bent state of the flexible substrate 10. Through the above steps, the display device 100 is in the state shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the cutting reading mark m is provided on the display surface side F of the frame area B, but it may be provided on the back surface side R of the frame area B. Even when the cutting read mark m is provided on the rear surface side R, the flexible substrate 10 is transparent, so that it can be read from the display surface side F.

  In the present embodiment, the configuration in which the circularly polarizing plate 48 is provided with the notch n has been described. However, instead of the notch n, a configuration is provided in which a hole penetrating from the back surface R to the display surface side F is provided. It doesn't matter. Moreover, as long as the reading mark m for cutting can be read using the optical device X, the circular polarizing plate 48 may not be physically removed. For example, you may use the circularly-polarizing plate 48 from which the property which polarizes light was removed partially, such as processing the part which overlaps with the cutting read mark m transparently. In this embodiment, as the optical device X, a device that detects the position of the cutting read mark m by irradiating the cutting read mark m with the light L is used. Any device can be used as long as it can detect the reading mark m for cutting. For example, an imaging device such as a camera may be used.

  In this embodiment, the circularly polarizing plate 48 is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a linearly polarized light or an elliptically polarizing plate may be used. In addition, a front reinforcing film may be further provided on the display surface side F of the circularly polarizing plate 48 in order to protect and reinforce the display area A of the flexible substrate 10.

  The back reinforcing film 58 described in this embodiment and the modification corresponds to the first reinforcing film of the present invention, the back reinforcing film 64 corresponds to the second reinforcing film of the present invention, and the notch n is the present. This corresponds to the non-polarizing part of the invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Flexible substrate, 12 1st board | substrate, 14 Undercoat, 16 Semiconductor layer, 18 Source electrode, 20 Drain electrode, 22 Gate insulating film, 24 Gate electrode, 26 Interlayer insulating film, 28 Thin-film transistor, 30 Passivation film, 32 Planarization layer , 34 Pixel electrode, 36 Contact hole, 38 Insulating layer, 40 Light emitting element layer, 42 Common electrode, 44 Sealing layer, 46 Filling layer, 48 Circular polarizing plate, 50 Colored layer, 52 Black matrix, 56 Spacer, 56a Guide part 58 Back reinforcing film, 62 Adhesive member, 64 Back reinforcing film, 66 Adhesive member, 68 Wiring, 70 Terminal, 72 Anisotropic conductive film, 74 Integrated circuit chip, 76 FPC board, 100 Display device, A display area, B Frame area, C bending area, D terminal area, F display surface side, Rear side, X optical device lacks n cut, m cut for reading marks, C1 to C3 cutting line, P pixel, SP unit pixel.

Claims (7)

A flexible substrate in which a display area for displaying an image, a frame area that is a peripheral area of the display area and provided with a reading mark for cutting, a bending area, and a terminal area having terminals are arranged in this order. A process of preparing
Providing the first reinforcing film on the back side of the display area of the flexible substrate;
A step of providing a polarizing plate on the display surface side of the display area of the flexible substrate on which a non-polarizing part having no polarization property is formed so that the non-polarizing part overlaps the reading mark for cutting;
Using an optical device to read the cutting read mark through the non-polarizing portion;
Based on the read position of the cutting reading mark, a cutting line for cutting the first reinforcing film to a size corresponding to the outer shape of the frame region is determined, and the first reinforcing is along the cutting line. Cutting the film;
Placing a spacer on the back side of the display area of the flexible substrate;
Bending the bent region so as to conform to the shape of the spacer, and arranging the terminal region on the back side of the spacer;
A method for manufacturing a display device, comprising:   The method for manufacturing a display device according to claim 1, wherein the non-polarizing portion is a cutout or a hole penetrating from the back side to the display surface side.   The method for manufacturing a display device according to claim 1, wherein the non-polarizing portion is provided at a corner of the polarizing plate. A step of providing a second reinforcing film on the back side of the terminal region of the flexible substrate;
In the step of cutting the first reinforcing film, the second reinforcing film is cut to a size corresponding to the outer shape of the terminal region as the first reinforcing film is cut. The manufacturing method of the display apparatus of any one of these. Spacers,
A display area that is flexible and displays an image, a frame area that is a peripheral area of the display area and is provided with a reading mark for cutting, a bending area, and a terminal area that has terminals are arranged in this order. A flexible substrate in which the terminal region is arranged on the back side of the spacer by bending the bent region along the spacer; and
A polarizing plate provided on the display surface side of the display area of the flexible substrate;
Have
The display device, wherein the polarizing plate has a non-polarizing portion having no polarization at a position overlapping the reading mark for cutting.   The display device according to claim 5, wherein the non-polarizing portion is a cutout or a hole penetrating from the back surface side to the display surface side.   The display device according to claim 5, wherein the non-polarizing portion is provided at a corner of the polarizing plate.

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