Abstract:
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display panel and a preparation method thereof. The liquid crystal display panel comprises: a first substrate having a display area and a sealant area, wherein the sealant area surrounds the display area; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a sealant frame disposed on the sealant area of the first substrate, wherein the sealant frame includes a plurality of corner portions and a plurality of strip portions, wherein the adjacent strip portions intersect at one of the corner portions; and these corner portions includes a plurality of first corner portions and a plurality of second corner portions. Each of the first corner portion includes an arcuate peripheral edge adjacent to the display area, and each of the second corner portion includes an angular peripheral edge adjacent to the display area.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefits of the Taiwan Patent Application Serial Number 102144548, filed on Dec. 5, 2013, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display panel and a preparation method thereof and, more particularly, to a liquid crystal display panel with a narrow frame and a preparation method thereof 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    As display techniques developed, the quality requirements therefor are also increased. For both portable display devices with small sizes and display devices with large sizes, shapes thereof are developed toward light weight and thin thickness. In addition, the display devices having high quality, low power consumption and no radiation are the mainstream in the display techniques. 
         [0006]    For the display devices with small sizes such as mobile phones or tablets, it is desired to develop a display device which has the largest display area in the same penal size. One manner to achieve the aforementioned purpose is to reduce the size of the border area beyond a display area of the display devices. 
         [0007]    During the currently used process for preparing a liquid crystal display device, a substrate is firstly coated with a sealant, and then liquid crystal cells are injected into the region defined by the sealant via one drop filling method after the sealant is cured. Herein, the region defined by the cured sealant is filled with the liquid crystal cells to be used as a display area. However, the currently used process for applying the sealant is a surround coating, and the formed sealant has an arcuate peripheral edge at the turning points due to the limitation of the turning radius of the used sealant coating machine. The arcuate peripheral edge of the formed sealant is close to the display area of the display device, and may further overlap with the display area thereof. In this case, the region of the display area thereof is reduced and the width of the border area with the sealant formed thereon is increased. Therefore, the requirement for narrow border area cannot be achieved, and sometimes the situation of sealant overflow may also be occurred. 
         [0008]    Hence, it is desirable to provide a sealant and a method for dispensing the same for preparing a display device with narrow border area, in order to increase the region of the display area thereof and the tensile strength thereof. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel, which comprises: a first substrate having a display area and a sealant area, wherein the sealant area surrounds the display area; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a sealant frame disposed on the sealant area of the first substrate, wherein the sealant frame includes a plurality of corner portions and a plurality of strip portions, the adjacent strip portions intersect at one of the corner portions, and the corner portions includes a plurality of first corner portions and a plurality of second corner portions; wherein each of the first corner portion includes an arcuate peripheral edge adjacent to the display area, and each of the second corner portion includes an angular peripheral edge adjacent to the display area. 
         [0010]    In one aspect of the present invention, the liquid crystal display panel further comprises at least one spacer disposed on the first substrate or the second substrate and located between the display area and one of the second corner portions. 
         [0011]    In one aspect of the present invention, the first substrate includes at least one slit corresponding to one of the second corner portions. 
         [0012]    In one aspect of the present invention, a distance between the display area and the strip portion simultaneously connected to two of the first corner portions is larger than that between the display area and the strip portion simultaneously connected to the first corner portion and the second corner portion. 
         [0013]    In one aspect of the present invention, a distance between the display area and the strip portion simultaneously connected two of the first corner portions is larger than that between the display area and the strip portion simultaneously connected two of the second corner portions. 
         [0014]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a preparation method of a liquid crystal display panel, which comprises: (A) providing a first substrate having a display area and a sealant area surrounding the display are, wherein the display area has a first edge and a second edge connecting to the first edge; (B) applying a first sealant on the sealant area along the first edge of the display area to form a plurality of strip portions and a plurality of first corner portions connecting the adjacent strip portions; (C) applying a second sealant on the sealant area along the second edge of the display area to form at least one strip portion; and (D) laminating a second substrate on the first substrate to dispose the first sealant and the second sealant between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the first sealant and the second sealant intersect to form two second corner portions, each first corner portion respectively includes an arcuate peripheral edge adjacent to the display area, and each second corner portion respectively includes an angular peripheral edge adjacent to the display area. 
         [0015]    In one aspect of the preparation method of a liquid crystal display panel of the present invention, the step (C) is performed before the step (B). 
         [0016]    In one aspect of the preparation method of a liquid crystal display panel of the present invention, the preparation method further comprises: a step (E) after the step (D): cutting the first substrate and the second substrate along with the strip portions connecting to the two second corner portions. 
         [0017]    In one aspect of the preparation method of a liquid crystal display panel of the present invention, the angular peripheral edge includes a first peripheral edge and a second peripheral edge, and an angle included between the first peripheral edge and the second peripheral edge is substantially 90°. 
         [0018]    In one aspect of the preparation method of a liquid crystal display panel of the present invention, the preparation method further comprises a step (C 1 ) after the step (C): disposing a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate: 
         [0019]    Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]      FIGS. 1˜5  are perspective views showing a preparation method of a liquid crystal display according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 6˜7  are perspective views showing a preparation method of a liquid crystal display according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 8˜9  are perspective views of a liquid crystal display according one preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 10˜11  are perspective views of a liquid crystal display according another preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0024]      FIGS. 12˜13  are perspective views of a liquid crystal display according further another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0025]    The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in the nature of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. 
       Embodiment 1 
       [0026]      FIGS. 1˜4  are perspective views showing a preparation method of a liquid crystal display of the present embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a first substrate  10  is provided, which has a display area  12  and a sealant area  11  surrounding the display area  12 . The display area  12  has a first edge A and a second edge B connecting to the first edge A. The widths of three sides of the sealant area  11  are respectively smaller than that of the remaining side thereof. However, in other embodiment, the widths of the sides of the sealant area  11  can be adjusted according to the shapes and the signal routings of desired display device. Preferably, the width of the side disposing with a driver IC (not shown in the figure) of the sealant area  11  is larger than those of the remaining sides thereof. 
         [0027]    Next, a sealant is applied onto the sealant area  11  along the first edge A of the display area  12  to form a first sealant  21  containing three strip portions and two first corner portions, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Herein, the first sealant  21  comprises a first strip portion  211 , a second strip portion  213 , a third strip portion  215 , a first corner portion  212   a  locating between the first strip portion  211  and the second strip portion  213 , and a first corner portion  212   b  locating between the second strip portion  213  and the third strip portion  215 . Since the first sealant  21  is applied onto the first substrate  10  through a continuous coating manner, the two first corner portions  212   a,    212   b  respectively include an arcuate peripheral edge C adjacent to the display area  12  at the turning points due to the limitation of the turning radius of the used sealant coating machine and the viscosity of the applied sealant. 
         [0028]    Furthermore, a sealant is applied onto the sealant area  11  along the second edge B of the display area  12  to form a second sealant  22 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The second sealant  22  comprises a fourth strip portion  221 , and intersects with the first strip portion  211  and the third strip portion  215  of the first sealant  21  to form two second corner portions  222   a,    222   b,  in which the second corner portions  222   a,    222   b  respectively include angular peripheral edges D adjacent to the display area  12 . The angular peripheral edges D is formed with a first peripheral edge and a second peripheral edge, and an angle included between the first peripheral edge and the second peripheral edge is substantially 90°. 
         [0029]    Next, as shown in  FIGS. 3˜5 , a second substrate  20  is laminated onto the first substrate  10 , the first sealant  21  and the second sealant  22  locate between the first substrate  10  and the second substrate  20 , and a liquid crystal layer  51  is disposed in the display area  12  and also between the first substrate  10  and the second substrate  20 . Then, the first substrate  10  and the second substrate  20  are cut along three sides  111 ,  112 ,  113  of the sealant area  11  as well as the first strip portion  211 , the third strip portion  215  and the fourth strip portion  221  formed thereon to obtain the sealant pattern as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the obtained sealant frame comprises a first strip portion  211 ′, the second strip portion  213 , a third strip portion  215 ′ and a fourth strip portion  221 ′. In addition, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the first strip portion  211 ′ is apart from the display area  12  in a distance a′, the third strip portion  215 ′ is apart therefrom in a distance c′, the fourth strip portion  221 ′ is apart therefrom in a distance d′, and the second strip portion  213  is apart therefrom in a distance b′. Furthermore, the obtained sealant frame also comprises two first corner portions  212   a ′,  212   b ′ and two second corner portions  222   a ′,  222   b ′. The first corner portion  212   a ′ locates between the first strip portion  211 ′ and the second strip portion  213 , the first corner portion  212   b ′ locates between the third strip portion  215 ′ and the second strip portion  213 , and the two first corner portions  212   a ′,  212   b ′ respectively includes an arcuate peripheral edge C′ adjacent to the display area  12 . The second corner portion  222   a ′ locates between the first strip portion  211 ′ and the fourth strip portion  221 ′, the second corner portion  222   b ′ locates between the third strip portion  215 ′ and the fourth strip portion  221 ′, the two second corner portions  222   a ′,  222   b ′ respectively includes an angular peripheral edge D′ adjacent to the display area  12 , the angular peripheral edge D′ is formed with a first peripheral edge D 1  and a second peripheral edge D 2 , and an angle included between the first peripheral edge D 1  and the second peripheral edge D 2  is substantially 90°. 
         [0031]    In addition, the second strip portion  213  simultaneously connected to the first corner portions  212   a ′,  212   b ′ is apart from the display area  12  in a distance b′, which is larger than the distance a′ between the display area  12  and the first strip portion  211 ′ simultaneously connected to the first corner portion  212   a ′ and the second corner portion  222   a ′, the distance c′ between the display area  12  and the third strip portion  215 ′ simultaneously connected to the first corner portion  212   b ′ and the second corner portion  222   b ′, and the distance d′ between the display area  12  and the fourth strip portion  221 ′ simultaneously connected to the second corner portions  222   a ′,  222   b′.    
         [0032]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal display panel of the present embodiment according to the line X shown in  FIG. 4 . In the present embodiment, the first substrate  10  is a thin film transistor array substrate (TFT array substrate) comprising a bottom substrate  101 , a TFT array unit  102  and a protection layer  103 . However, in other embodiment of the present invention, the first substrate  10  can be any other substrate with active units formed thereon. In addition, in the present embodiment, the second substrate  20  is a color filter substrate including RGB units  202  and an upper substrate  201 . However, in other embodiment of the present invention, the second substrate  20  may be a counter substrate further with a black matrix or a common electrode. 
       Embodiment 2 
       [0033]    The preparation method of a liquid crystal display panel of the present embodiment is similar to that illustrated in Embodiment 1, except that the order for forming the first sealant  21  and the second sealant  22  is reversed in the present embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 6 , a sealant is firstly applied onto the sealant area  11  along the second edge B of the display area  12  to form a second sealant  22  as a fourth strip portion  221 . Next, as shown in  FIG. 7 , a sealant is applied onto the sealant area  11  along the first edge A of the display area  12  to form a first sealant  21  containing three strip portions and two first corner portions. After the aforementioned steps, the obtained sealant comprises a first strip portion  211 , a second strip portion  213 , a third strip portion  215 , a fourth strip portion  221 , a first corner portion  212   a  locating between the first strip portion  211  and the second strip portion  213 , a first corner portion  212   b  locating between the second strip portion  213  and the third strip portion  215 , and two second corner portions which is formed by the first strip portion  211  and the third strip portion  215  of the first sealant  21  intersecting with the fourth strip portion  221  of the second sealant  22 , wherein two second corner portions comprises a second corner portion  222   a  locating between the first strip portion  211  and the fourth strip portion  221 , and a second corner portion  222   b  locating between the third strip portion  215  and the fourth strip portion  221 . Next, the sealant frame shown in  FIG. 4  and then the liquid crystal display panel shown in  FIG. 5  are sequentially obtained by the same process illustrated in Embodiment 1. 
         [0034]    Furthermore, during the process for forming the display panel, the applied sealant may overflow during the step for laminating the first substrate  10  and the second substrate  20  when the amount of the applied sealant is too much. In this case, the display quality of the display area  12  may be deteriorated, resulting in the reliability of the panel decreased. In addition, in the liquid crystal display panel of the present invention, the second corner portions  222   a,    222   b  are formed by the first sealant  21  intersecting with the second sealant  22 , so the situation that the large amount of the applied sealant results in the overflow of the sealant during the lamination process may be occurred at the second corner portions  222   a,    222   b.    
         [0035]    In order to solve the aforementioned problem of the sealant overflow, one or more spacer  31  may be disposed on the second substrate  20  in the display panel of Embodiment 1 or 2, as shown in  FIGS. 8˜9 , wherein  FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the display panel of  FIG. 8  along the a′-a line. As shown in  FIGS. 8˜9 , the spacers  31  are disposed in the sealant area  11  and between the second corner portions  222   a ′,  222   b ′ of the sealant frame and the display area  12 , to abolish the sealant overflowing into the display area  12  during the lamination process. However, in other embodiment, the shapes of the spacers  31  are not particularly limited, as long as those can abolish the sealant overflow. In addition, the spacers  31  may be disposed on the first substrate  10 . 
         [0036]    Furthermore, the first substrate  10  may include a slit  32  in the display panel of Embodiment 1 or 2, as shown in  FIGS. 10˜11 , wherein  FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of the display panel of  FIG. 10  along the a′-a line. The slit  32  is disposed on the first substrate  10  and corresponds to the second corner portions  222   a ′,  222   b ′. In this case, the redundant sealant can fill the slit  32  to prevent the sealant overflowing into the display area  12 , during the lamination process. As shown in  FIG. 10 , the slit  32  has a triangle form. However, in other embodiment of the present invention, the shape of the slit  32  is not particularly limited, as long as it can achieve the purpose of preventing the sealant overflow. In addition, the slit  32  may be formed on the second substrate  20 . 
         [0037]    In other embodiment of the present invention, the display panel of the present invention may comprise one or more spacers  31  and slits  32  at the same time, as shown in  FIGS. 12˜13 , wherein  FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of the display panel of  FIG. 12  along the a′-a line. Herein, the spacers  31  are disposed on the second substrate  20 , between the second corner portions  222   a ′,  222   b ′ of the sealant frame and the display area  12 , and in the sealant area  11 . In addition, the slit  32  is disposed on the first substrate  10  and corresponds to the second corner portions  222   a ′,  222   b′.    
         [0038]    Although the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.