Abstract:
A modulized display component and a manufacturing method for the same are disclosed in this invention. The display component of this invention is designed according to a modulization concept so that it can be attached to any driving circuit layer. Further, various manufacturing techniques can be used to form the alignment layers and protective layers in order to fabricate a trans-reflective, reflective, or transmissive color displaying component.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/182,843, filed Jul. 18, 2005, and which claimed priority from Taiwanese application No. 094112441, filed Apr. 19, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is related to a display component and a manufacturing method for the same, and more particularly, to a modularized display component and a manufacturing method for the same. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     With the unceasing progress in manufacturing techniques for liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, conventional rigid silicon substrates or flat glass substrates are gradually being replaced by flexible plastic substrates or thin metal substrates. The flexible substrates can be made with various radian measures and used to form a display that can be rolled, or a microelectronic product with a large display area. Via this technique, using the roll-to-roll printing process to produce flexible display products with large display areas, such as electronic papers or electronic books, is now a possibility. 
     U.S. Publication 2004/0209008A1 discloses compositions and an assembly process for the manufacture of liquid crystal displays. Reference is made to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram of a assembly structure provided in U.S. Publication 2004/0209008A1. The assembly structure has a bottom substrate 10 and a top substrate 22. Either the bottom substrate 10, the top substrate 22, or both, has a conductive layer. The bottom substrate 10 includes a first alignment layer and a conductive layer that is not essential. Spacers 16 and microstructures 12 are built on the first alignment layer by, for example, a screen printing process, a coating process, or a photolithography process. Liquid crystal compositions 14 are filled between microstructures 12 and a photoalignable top-sealing layer 18. The top substrate 22 includes a transparent conductive layer as well as an isolated layer and, selectively, an overcoating layer 20. The top substrate 22 itself is an alignable layer or a pre-aligned layer. The top substrate 22 is disposed on the isolated layer or the overcoating layer 20 via a lamination process, a coating process, a screen printing process, a vapor deposition process, a sputtering process, or a combination thereof. The top substrate 22 or the bottom substrate 10 can be further attached with a color film, a moisture or oxygen barrier or an optical compensation layer. Finally, polarizer films and/or other light management films can also be applied for assembly of display devices. 
     The assembly structure disclosed in the publication mentioned above has a drawback that the spacer 16 cannot be made of different materials and the photoalignable top-sealing layer 18 is unstable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a modularized display component and a manufacturing method for the same to improve the production rate and provide a greater variety of display modes. The manufacturing process can be performed with conventional equipment, and the problems of flexible substrates being difficult to make, and having a low temperature tolerance, can be prevented. 
     For reaching the objective above, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a modularized display component, including providing a substrate; forming an electrode layer on the substrate; providing multiple wall structures on the electrode layer; forming an alignment layer covering the wall structures; filling display medium into spaces enclosed with the wall structures; and forming a protective layer on top of the filled wall structures. 
     For reaching the objective above, the present invention provides a modularized display component, including a substrate, an electrode layer formed on the substrate, multiple wall structures formed on the electrode layer, an alignment layer covering the wall structures, a display medium filled in spaces enclosed with the wall structures, and a protective layer formed on top of the filled wall structures. 
     Numerous additional features, benefits and details of the present invention are described in the detailed description, which follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a conventional assembly structure; 
         FIG. 2  shows a substrate of the modularized display component made in accordance with the manufacturing procedure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows wall structures of the modularized display component made in accordance with the manufacturing procedure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows an alignment layer of the modularized display component made in accordance with the manufacturing procedure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows the filling action of display medium of the modularized display component in accordance with the manufacturing procedure of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows the first embodiment for forming a protective layer of the modularized display component in accordance with of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  shows the second embodiment for forming a protective layer of the modularized display component in accordance with of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  shows the third embodiment for forming a protective layer of the modularized display component in accordance with of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of the modularized display component in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  shows an adhesive layer of the display device having the modularized display component provided in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  shows a substrate of the display device having the modularized display component provided in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic diagram of the display device having the modularized display component in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention uses a flexible component manufacturing technique together with a semiconductor manufacturing technique to provide a modularized display component. Reference is made to  FIGS. 1-9 , which show a manufacturing procedure of a modularized display component in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The manufacturing procedure has the steps described as follows. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 2 , which shows a substrate of the modularized display component made in accordance with the manufacturing procedure of the present invention. First, a substrate  30  is provided. The substrate  30  is flexible and the appearance of the substrate  30  is a sheet or a film. The substrate  30  can be a macromolecule substrate, an organic/inorganic compound substrate or a polarizer substrate. If the appearance of the substrate  30  is a sheet, it can be made with current manufacturing equipment. If the flexible substrate is formed as a film, it can be made by roll-to-roll manufacturing equipment. The substrate  30  has a color filter layer formed thereon (not shown). Forming this color filter layer is not essential in the manufacturing process. Subsequently, an electrode layer  32  is formed on the substrate  30 . The electrode layer  32  is designed to be a driving electrode for a passive matrix or a segment driving display device, or to be a common electrode layer. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 3 , which shows wall structures of the modularized display component made in accordance with the manufacturing procedure of the present invention. Multiple wall structures  34  are formed on the electrode layer  32 . These wall structures  34  are made by screen printing, molding, or photolithography processes. The wall structures  34  can be open shape structures or closed shape structures. If the wall structures  34  are open shape structures, they can be formed with a straight-line shape, a cross shape, or a trident shape. If the wall structures  34  are closed shape structures, they can be formed with a rectangular shape, a circular shape, or a cellular shape. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 4 , which shows an alignment layer of the modularized display component made in accordance with the manufacturing procedure of the present invention. An alignment layer  36  is formed to cover the wall structures  34 . The alignment layer  36  is formed via a printing process. The printing process can be a letterpress printing process, an ink-jet printing process, or the like. If the ink-jet printing process is used to form the alignment layer  36 , different alignment materials can be used to form a trans-reflective, reflective or transmissive displaying component. During the process of forming the alignment layer  36 , a contact alignment process or a non-contact alignment process should be used. The contact alignment process can be performed via a rubbing alignment action using a flannelette cloth while the non-contact alignment process can be performed via a photo-alignment action. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 5 , which shows the filling action of display medium of the modularized display component in accordance with the manufacturing procedure of the present invention. After the alignment layer is formed, the display medium  38  then fills the spaces formed between the wall structures  34  above the alignment layer  36 . The display medium  38  consists of liquid crystals or a mixture of liquid crystals and prepolymers. In addition, the display medium  38  can be filled in the spaces via a slit coating process, a blade coating process, a one-drop-fill (ODF) process, or an ink-jet printing process. When the ink-jet printing process is used, different liquid crystal materials can be used to fill the spaces formed between the wall structures  34  above the alignment layer  36 . For example, liquid crystal materials with different colors can be used to form a color display component. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 6 , which shows the first embodiment for forming a protective layer of the modularized display component in accordance with of the present invention. A protective layer  40  is formed above the alignment layer  36  and the display medium  38 . The protective layer  40  is an air-tight layer and formed via a coating process. The protective layer  40  of this embodiment does not have the alignment feature. If the protective layer  40  needs to have the alignment feature, an ultraviolet light source  42  can be used to initiate a photo polymerization induced phase separation process and form a polymer network structure in the display medium  38 . The display medium  38  is a mixture of liquid crystals and prepolymers. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 7 , which shows the second embodiment for forming a protective layer of the modularized display component in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, a polymerization induced phase separation process is used to induce the phase separation reaction of the display medium  38  to form the protective layer  40  having the alignment feature on the display medium  38 . The polymerization induced phase separation process is performed via an ultraviolet light source  42 . The display medium  38  is a mixture of liquid crystals and prepolymers. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 8 , which shows the third embodiment for forming a protective layer of the modularized display component in accordance with of the present invention. In this embodiment, the protective layer  40  is provided by attachment with an adhesive material. The protective layer  40  itself does not have the alignment feature. Hence, before forming the protective layer  40 , alignment layers  44  are provided on the display medium  38 . The alignment layers  44  can be provided on the display medium  38  via a coating process, or an ink-jet printing process. If the ink-jet printing process is used to form the alignment layers  44 , different alignment materials can be used to form a trans-reflective, reflective or transmissive displaying component. Lastly, the protective layer  40  is formed thereon. The display medium  38  consists of pure liquid crystals. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 9 , which is a schematic diagram of the modularized display component in accordance with the present invention. The modularized display component includes an electrode layer  32  formed on the substrate  30 . The substrate  30  is flexible and the appearance of the substrate  30  is a sheet or a film. The electrode layer  32  is designed to be a driving electrode for a passive matrix or a segment driving display device, or to be a common electrode layer. A color filter layer is formed on the substrate  30  (not shown). Forming this color filter layer is not essential in the manufacturing process. Multiple wall structures  34  are formed on the electrode layer  32 . An alignment layer  36  covers the wall structures  34 . Display medium  38  fills the spaces formed between the wall structures  34  above the alignment layer  36 . The alignment layer  36  itself can be formed with or without the alignment feature. If the alignment layer  36  has the alignment feature, it can be made according to the manufacturing process mentioned in  FIG. 7 . If the alignment layer  36  does not have the alignment feature, it can be made according to the manufacturing process described in accord with  FIG. 6  or  8 . 
       FIGS. 10-12  are used to show the manufacturing process of attaching the modularized display component of the present invention to a driving component to form a display device. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 10 , which shows an adhesive layer of the display device having the modularized display component provided in accordance with the present invention. The modularized display component includes an electrode layer  32  formed on a first substrate  46 . The first substrate  46  is flexible and the appearance of the substrate  46  is a sheet or a film. The electrode layer  32  is designed to be a driving electrode for a passive matrix or a segment driving display device, or to be a common electrode layer. A color filter layer is formed on the first substrate  46  (not shown). Forming this color filter layer is not essential in the manufacturing process. Multiple wall structures  34  are formed on the electrode layer  32 . An alignment layer  36  covers the wall structures  34 . Display medium  38  fills the spaces formed between the wall structures  34  above the alignment layer  36 . A protective layer  40  is formed on the alignment layer  36  and the display medium  38 . An air-tight adhesive layer  48  is provided on the protective layer  40  and made of an adhesive material. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 11 , which shows a substrate of the display device having the modularized display component provided in accordance with the present invention. In  FIG. 11 , a second substrate  50  is provided on the air-tight adhesive layer  48  shown in  FIG. 10 . The second substrate  50  can be a glass substrate or a flexible substrate. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 12 , which is a schematic diagram of the display device having the modularized display component in accordance with the present invention. The display device includes an electrode layer  32  formed on a first substrate  46 . The first substrate  46  is flexible and the appearance of the first substrate  46  is a sheet or a film. The electrode layer  32  is designed to be a driving electrode for a passive matrix or a segment driving display device, or to be a common electrode layer. A color filter layer is formed on the first substrate  46  (not shown). Forming this color filter layer is not essential in the manufacturing process. Multiple wall structures  34  are formed on the electrode layer  32 . An alignment layer  36  covers the wall structures  34 . 
     Display medium  38  fills the spaces formed between the wall structures  34  above the alignment layer  36 . A protective layer  40  is formed on the alignment layer  36  and the display medium  38 . An air-tight adhesive layer  48  is provided on the protective layer  40 . A second substrate  50  is provided on the air-tight adhesive layer  48 . The second substrate  50  can be a glass substrate or a flexible substrate. The second substrate  50  includes a layer deployed with driving components, called a driving circuit layer. The driving circuit layer can be a thin-film-transistor (TFT) layer, a passive matrix layer, or a segment driving circuit layer. 
     In the present invention, only one side of the modularized display component has an electrode layer for attachment to a driving circuit layer. The electrode layer of the modularized display component is a common conductive layer and the driving voltage can be adjusted via the driving circuit layer. 
     The modularized display component of the present invention has advantages as follows: 
     1. Due to the modulization design, the modularized display component can be attached to any driving circuit layer to form a complete display device; 
     2. Various manufacturing processes can be used to make the alignment layer of the modularized display component have the alignment feature; 
     3. Various manufacturing processes can be used to make the protective layer of the modularized display component formed with or without the alignment feature; and 
     4. The modularized display component of the present invention can be manufactured on a large scale. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and other will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.