Patent Publication Number: US-7911579-B2

Title: Arrangement of photo spacer material

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to, and is a Continuation Application of, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/270,576, filed on Nov. 10, 2005, now pending, which claims priority from Taiwan Patent Application No. 094124561, filed on Jul. 20, 2005, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Although incorporated by references in their entirety, no arguments or disclaimers made in the parent applications apply to this continuation application. Any disclaimer that may have occurred during the prosecution of the above-referenced application(s) is hereby expressly rescinded. Consequently, the Patent Office is asked to review the new set of claims in view of all of the prior art of record and any search that the Office deems appropriate. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a method for arranging photo spacers. More particularly relates to use an arrangement mode in a flat display apparatus that photo spacers can be uniform distributed between panels and substrates. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Under the tendency of seeking high brightness and high comparison for flat display apparatuses, the photo spacer material is applied for closing and supporting between color filters and substrates that plays an important role. Crystal cells are formed by photo spacers that will affect an orientation of crystal cells. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a sectional drawing of a flat panel apparatus by using spherical spacer materials is illustrated. The flat panel apparatus comprises a color filter  11 , a glass substrate  12 , and at least one spherical spacer CS, wherein the spherical spacer CS is used for closing and supporting between the color filter  11  and the glass substrate  12 . Disadvantages of spherical spacer materials include light leaks, low transmittance, low contrast, low mechanical strength and low displacement that increase bad pixels of the flat panel apparatus. 
     Therefore, in order to control the fluidity in the crystal cell, the quantity and the uniformity for photo spacers in the crystal cell will be an important issue. In addition, the dimensional stability in heating of photo spacers will also influence the thickness of the crystal cell. Accordingly, a cylindrical polymer to be a newly photo spacer has been developed. Referring to  FIG. 2 , a sectional drawing of a flat panel apparatus by using cylindrical photo spacers is illustrated. The flat display apparatus comprises a color filter  11 , a glass substrate  12  and at least one photo spacer PS, wherein the photo spacer PS is cylinder and is used for closing and supporting between the color filter  11  and the glass substrate  12 . The polymer material has better adhesion, heat-resistant, and high transmittance. To compare with spherical spacers, there are no low mechanical strength, light leaks, and low fluidity on cylindrical photo spacers. 
     Traditionally, spherical spacers can be set by spraying that is unable to fix on the glass substrate and the distribution location is unable to control completely. However, cylindrical photo spacers can be made on the glass substrate by utilizing photo lithography that does not only fix distance, but also modifies intervals by utilizing the thickness of photo spacer materials that provides a smoother supporting for panels, reduces process, and increases aperture ratio. 
     Currently, there is no certain rule to provide engineers to follow that arrange photo spacers randomly. Referring to  FIG. 3 , a schematic diagram of setting locations of two conventional photo spacers is illustrated. An area unit can be formed by 5×5 to set five photo spacers PS that produces setting locations of photo spacers easily as arrangement modes  31 ,  32 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , a schematic diagram of arranging the location repeatedly according to  FIG. 3  is illustrated. The area unit is arranged repeatedly by arrangement modes  31 ,  32  that photo spacers PS will be unable to uniform distribute. For example, the circle area  41  is a highly concentrated of photo spacers PS and the circle area  42  is sparse that still produces bad pixels. There must be some ways to resolve disadvantages of the mentioned above by providing a method for photo spacer arrangement. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, the primary object of the present invention is to disclose a method for photo spacer material arrangement that is used in a flat display apparatus. The flat display apparatus at least comprises at least one photo spacer material, a panel, and a substrate. The photo spacer provides a fixed distance between the panel and the substrate. The method for photo spacer material arrangement comprises allocating an area unit composed of N×N sub-area units with multiple columns and multiple rows and in an arrangement mode, providing P photo spacers that is uniformly distributed on the N×N sub-area units. Meanwhile, there is only one photo spacer in each column, and there is only one photo space in each row. In addition, the area unit is allocated repeatedly by the way of the mentioned above to fill on the panel. N and P are positive integers and N equals P. 
     The second object of the present invention is to disclose another method for arranging photo spacer. The method comprises providing a displacement parameter to be x column sub-area unit. First, a first location is determined as the predetermined location in the first column, first row of the area units. Second, a second location is calculated, displacing the first location vertically to second row to be a start location, displacing x column sub-area with same row horizontally from the start location to be the second location, continues to calculate a n location, displacing a n−1 location vertically to n row to be a start location, displacing x column sub-area unit with same row horizontally from the start location to be n location, wherein if the x column sub-area unit is greater than remaining columns of the row, continues calculating from first column of the row. In addition, the displacement parameter of the mentioned above further comprises providing any corresponding integers to be co-prime with N and/or 1 that integers are also not greater than N in order to be x column sub-area unit. Meanwhile, the method further includes arranging the area unit repeatedly at four quadrant locations and providing a selection unit of equaling the area unit, wherein the selection unit is selected from the repeated four quadrant locations in order to be the arrangement mode of the photo spacers. Moreover, the selection unit is arranged repeatedly to fill on the panel. N and P are positive integers and N equals P. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a sectional drawing of a flat panel apparatus by using spherical spacer materials; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional drawing of a flat panel apparatus by using cylindrical photo spacer materials; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of setting locations of two conventional photo spacers; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of arranging the location repeatedly according to  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=5 according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is another schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=3 according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is another schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=4 according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is another schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=5 according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is another schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=6 according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is another schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=7 according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic diagram of an example of an arrangement mode of allocating repeatedly at four quadrant locations according to  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     To make it easier for our examiner to understand the objective of the invention, its innovative features and performance, a detailed description and technical characteristics of the present invention are described together with the drawings as follows. 
     The present invention discloses a method for arranging photo spacer that is used in a flat display apparatus. The flat display apparatus at least comprises a photo spacer, a panel, and a substrate. The photo spacer is set between the panel and the substrate to provide a fixed distance. The method is to allocate an area unit composed of N×N sub-area units with multiple columns and multiple rows. P photo spacers are set by an arrangement mode on the area unit, wherein P equals N. The area unit is arranged repeatedly based on the arrangement mode, so as to fill on the panel. The size of photo spacer materials of the mentioned above has to be considered that sub-area units need to keep a certain transmittance; hence the size of photo spacers is smaller than sub-area units. In the preferred embodiment, sub-area units set from photo spacer materials will be marked to be an arrangement mode. The illustration will be only focused on the area unit as N=3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, other numeric can be accomplished according to the concept in the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=5 according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. An arrangement mode  51  can be an area unit of N=5 and provides five photo spacers PS in order to set on the area unit, wherein five photo spacers PS can be set respectively at first column first row, second column fourth row, third column third row, fourth column fifth row, and fifth column first row. Although there is no specific law for the arrangement mode  51  to set photo spacers PS, there is only one photo spacer PS in each column, and there is only one photo spacer PS in each row in sub-area units that can resolve disadvantages. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , another schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=3 according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. An area unit of N=3 is to provide three photo spacers PS to set on the area unit. Meanwhile, a displacement parameter x can be provided by any corresponding integers to be co-prime with N and/or 1 that integers are also not greater than N. The displacement parameter x is to displace x column sub-area units. Therefore, the area unit of N=3 is to provide integers 1, 2 to be co-prime with 3 in order to be an displacement parameter x. The location of first column first row can be a first location for setting first photo spacer PS when an arrangement mode  61  of x=1 is selected. Second, a second location can be calculated that the first location is displaced vertically to the location of second row to be a start location. The start location at same row as the second row is displaced one column sub-area unit horizontally. The displaced location can be the second location for setting second photo spacer PS. Next, a third location can be calculated that the second location is displaced vertically to the location of third row to be a start location. The start location at third row is displaced one column sub-area unit horizontally. The displaced location can be the third location for setting last one photo spacer PS. Lastly, the setting location for setting photo spacer PS as the arrangement mode  61  can be obtained after calculating every row of the area unit. In addition, the location of first column first row can be a first location for setting first photo spacer 1 PS when an arrangement mode  62  of x=2 is selected. A second location can be calculated that the first location is displaced vertically to the location of second row to be a start position. The start location at same row as the second row is displaced two column sub-area units horizontally. The displaced location can be the second location for setting second photo spacer PS. Next, a third location can be calculated that the second location is displaced vertically to the location of third row to be a start location. The start location at third row is displaced two column sub-area units horizontally that horizontal displacement columns are greater than the same row as remaining columns of third row that continues to calculate from first column of third row. The displaced location can be the third location for setting last one photo spacer material PS. In other words, an n location can be calculated that an n−1 location is displaced vertically to n row to be a start location. The start location at same row is displaced x column sub-area unit horizontally to be the n location. The first column of same row can be calculated continuously if x column sub-area unit is greater than remaining columns of same row. Lastly, the setting location for setting photo spacer PS as the arrangement mode  62  can be made after calculating every row of the area unit. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , another schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=4 according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. An area unit of N=4 is to provide four photo spacers PS for setting on the area unit. Meanwhile, a displacement parameter x can be provided by integers 1, 3 to be co-prime with 4 at first and the following process can be illustrated as same as  FIG. 6 . The arrangement mode  71  is to take the displacement parameter x=1 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS and the arrangement mode  72  is to take the displacement parameter x=3 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , another schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=5 according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. An area unit of N=5 is to provide five photo spacers PS for setting on the area unit. Meanwhile, a displacement parameter x can be provided by integers 1, 2, 3, 4 to be co-prime with 5 at first and the following process can be illustrated as same as  FIG. 6 . The arrangement mode  81  is to take the displacement parameter x=1 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS. The arrangement mode  82  is to take the displacement parameter x=2 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS. The arrangement mode  83  is to take the displacement parameter x=3 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS. The arrangement mode  84  is to take the displacement parameter x=4 for the setting location of each photo spacer material PS. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , another schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=6 according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. An area unit of N=6 is to provide six photo spacers PS for setting on the area unit. Meanwhile, a displacement parameter x can be provided by integers 1, 5 to be co-prime with 6 and the following process can be illustrated as same as  FIG. 6 . The arrangement mode  91  is to take the displacement parameter x=1 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS and the arrangement mode  92  is to take the displacement parameter x=1 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , another schematic diagram of an example of an area unit of N=7 according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. An area unit of N=7 is to provide seven photo spacers PS for setting on the area unit. Meanwhile, a displacement parameter x can be provided by integers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 to be co-prime with 4 and the following process can be illustrated as same as  FIG. 6 . The arrangement mode  1001  is to take the displacement parameter x=1 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS. The arrangement mode  1002  is to take the displacement parameter x=2 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS. The arrangement mode  1003  is to take the displacement parameter x=3 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS. The arrangement mode  1004  is to take the displacement parameter x=4 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS. The arrangement mode  1005  is to take the displacement parameter x=5 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS. The arrangement mode  1006  is to take the displacement parameter x=6 for the setting location of each photo spacer PS. 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , a schematic diagram of an example of an arrangement mode of allocating repeatedly at four quadrant locations according to  FIG. 8  is illustrated. An area unit can be used to be the arrangement mode  82  in  FIG. 8  as the dotted line box  1011  that is arranged repeatedly at four quadrant locations. A selection unit can be provided as the solid line box  1012  that is selected from the repeated four quadrant locations in order to be the arrangement mode of photo spacers. The scope of the selection unit equals the area unit of the arrangement mode  82 . In order words, each photo spacer which is selected from the scope of the selection unit can be another method for arrangement if the selection unit is at the repeated four quadrant locations. Therefore, each method for arrangement from  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 10  can be accomplished through the process shown in  FIG. 11  to obtain various arrangement modes for photo spacers. 
     By way of preferred embodiments of the mentioned above, each arrangement mode can be obtained by providing a method for arranging photo spacer. The method can be used in a flat panel apparatus for arranging repeatedly according to each arrangement mode that photo spacers can be filled on the panel. 
     In summation of the description above, the present invention is novel and useful and definite enhances the performance over the conventional structure and further complies with the patent application requirements and is submitted to the Patent and Trademark Office for review and granting of the commensurate patent rights.