Patent ID: 12253761

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In combination with drawings in embodiments of the present disclosure, technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described clearly and completely. Apparently, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort belong to a scope of the present disclosure. In addition, it should be understood that specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain and interpret the present disclosure and are not used to limit the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, location terms used, such as “up” and “down”, generally refer to up and down in actual using or working state of devices, in particular drawing directions in the drawings, unless otherwise described; terms “inside” and “outside” refer to outlines of the devices.

Referring toFIG.1andFIG.2, the liquid crystal display panel1according to some embodiments of the present disclosure includes an array substrate2, a color filter substrate3, and liquid crystal molecules4disposed between the array substrate2and the color filter substrate3. The array substrate2includes a first substrate10and a first alignment layer30disposed on a side of first substrate10facing the color filter substrate3. The color filter substrate3includes a second substrate40and a second alignment layer50disposed on a side of the second substrate40facing the array substrate2. The first alignment layer30is disposed opposite to the second alignment layer50. The liquid crystal display panel1has at least a first region and a second region. In a film thickness direction, a sum of a thickness of the first alignment layer30and a thickness of the second alignment layer50in the first region is greater than a sum of a thickness of the first alignment layer30and a thickness of the second alignment layer50in the second region.

In some embodiments, an initial light transmittance of the first region is greater than an initial light transmittance of the second region.

In some embodiments, a final light transmittance of the first region tends to be consistent with a final light transmittance of the second region.

It can be understood that because the initial light transmittance of the first region is greater than the initial light transmittance of the second region, on a condition that a backlight brightness in the first region and a backlight brightness in the second region are the same, there is a problem of uneven display brightness of the first region and the second region. The present disclosure makes the final light transmittance of the first region and the final light transmittance of the second region tend to be consistent by designing the sum of the thickness of the first alignment layer30and the thickness of the second alignment layer50in the first region being different from the sum of the thickness of the first alignment layer30and the thickness of the second alignment layer50in the second region, achieving the effect that the display brightness of the first region and the display brightness of the second region tend to be the same.

For the first region and the second region with different initial light transmittance, by designing the alignment layers with different thicknesses, specifically, by designing the sum of the thickness of the first alignment layer30and the thickness of the second alignment layer50in the first region with a high initial light transmittance being greater than the sum of the thickness of the first alignment layer30and the thickness of the second alignment layer50in the second region with a low initial light transmittance, this embodiment makes the final light transmittance of the first region tend to be consistent with the final light transmittance of the second region, so that the display brightness of different regions tends to be consistent, improving uniformity of the display brightness of the liquid crystal display panel in different regions.

Technical solutions of the present disclosure will be described in conjunction with specific embodiments.

The term “thickness of the alignment layers” mentioned in the following description refers to the sum of the thickness of the first alignment layer30and the thickness of the second alignment layer50.

In some embodiments, the array substrate2further includes a pixel electrode layer20disposed between the first substrate10and the first alignment layer30. The pixel electrode layer20is provided with multiple first protrusions60disposed at intervals. A first groove is formed between any adjacent two of the first protrusions60. The thickness of the first alignment layer30at the first protrusions60is less than the thickness of the first alignment layer30at the first grooves.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the first alignment layer30at the first protrusions60, the thickness of the first alignment layer30in the regions without disposing the first protrusions60and the first groove, and the thickness of the first alignment layer30at the first grooves increase sequentially.

In some embodiments, a material of the preparation of the first alignment layer30may be polyimide.

It can be understood that the first protrusions60are disposed in the array substrate2, and the thickness of the first alignment layer30above the first protrusions60is less than the thickness of the first alignment layer30in other regions without disposing the first protrusions60. The combination of the first protrusions60, and the first alignment layer30disposed above the first protrusions60and with a smaller thickness can achieve the effect of improving the pixel penetration rate.

It can be understood that an uneven topography can be formed by designing the first protrusions60and the first grooves on a side of the pixel electrode layer20facing the color filter substrate3. Because the material of the preparation of the first alignment layer30has fluidity, it will gather into the first grooves during the preparation process to form the first alignment layer30with a large thickness in the first groove, while the material of the preparation of the first alignment layer30flowing onto the first protrusions60will flow to other regions due to its fluidity and flatness, so as to form the first alignment layer30with a small thickness above the first protrusions60.

This embodiment makes the first alignment layer30have different thicknesses in different regions by designing the first protrusions60and the first grooves to form the uneven topography in the array substrate2, improving a final light transmittance of the regions with a low initial light transmittance, and making the final light transmittance of different regions equal, so that the display brightness of different regions tends to be consistent.

In some embodiments, the first protrusions60are correspondingly disposed in the second region120, and the multiple first grooves are correspondingly disposed in the first region110.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the second alignment layer50in the first region110can be equal to the thickness of the second alignment layer50in the second region120.

It can be understood that due to the fact that the initial light transmittance of the second region120is low, the first alignment layer30with a small thickness needs to be designed to improve the display brightness of the second region120, therefore, the first protrusions60can be disposed in the second region120. Moreover, because the initial light transmittance of the first region110is high, the first alignment layer30with a large thickness needs to be designed to reduce the display brightness of the second region120, therefore, the first grooves can be disposed in the first region110. Based on the above, the present disclosure makes the display brightness of the first region110and the display brightness of the second region120tend to be consistent, further improving the uniformity of the display brightness of different regions.

It should be noted that the thickness of the first alignment layer30in this embodiment is mainly adjusted by designing the first protrusions60and the first grooves in the array substrate2, so that the sums of the thicknesses of the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50in different regions are different.

In this embodiment, the first protrusions60are disposed in the second region120and the first grooves are disposed in the first region110, so that the thickness of the first alignment layer30in the first region110is greater than the thickness of the first alignment layer30in the second region120. By designing a thickness difference between the first alignment layer30in the first region110and the first alignment layer30in the second region120, this embodiment can adjust the sums of the thicknesses of the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50in the first region110and the second region120, respectively, so that the display brightness of the first region110and the display brightness of the second region120tend to be consistent, improving the uniformity of the display brightness of different regions.

In some embodiments, a material of the preparation of the first protrusions60may be a non-metallic transparent material, such as photoresist and/or silicon nitride.

In some embodiments, at least one side surface of the first alignment layer30and/or at least one side surface of the second alignment layer50is an uneven surface.

In some embodiments, the first protrusions60are integrated with the pixel electrode layer20.

In some embodiments, the material of the preparation of the first protrusions60and a material of the preparation of the pixel electrode layer20are the same.

In some embodiments, the material of the preparation of the pixel electrode layer20may include at least one of indium tin oxide, indium gallium zinc oxide, and indium zinc oxide.

It can be understood that the first protrusions60can be integrated with the pixel electrode layer20, and the first protrusions60can be prepared by the same photomask as the pixel electrode layer20. Because the preparation of the first protrusions60does not require an additional photomask, the present disclosure can save the photomask used for preparing the first protrusions60.

In this embodiment, the first protrusions60are integrated with the pixel electrode layer20. In terms of the process, the first protrusions60and the pixel electrode layer20can be prepared by using the same photomask, which does not require additional photomask for preparing the first protrusions60, saving one photomask and reducing the cost.

Referring toFIG.3, in some embodiments, the pixel electrode layer20includes multiple pixel electrodes. Each of the pixel electrodes includes a body portion80and a slit portion90disposed in the body portion80, and a slit end100disposed at an edge of the body portion80and an edge of the slit portion90. A sum of thicknesses of the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50at the slit end100, a sum of thicknesses of the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50at the body portion80, and a sum of thicknesses of the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50at the slit portion90increase sequentially.

In some embodiments, the slit end100at the edge of the slit portion90refers to the slit end100disposed at the edge of the slit portion90away from a central line of the pixel electrode.

In some embodiments, the body portion80is the electrode of the pixel electrode itself. The body portion80includes a trunk electrode801and multiple branch electrodes802connected to the trunk electrode801, and the branch electrodes802may be symmetrically disposed relative to the trunk electrode801.

In some embodiments, the branch electrodes802may be misaligned relative to the trunk electrode801.

It can be understood that the slit portion90is gaps between adjacent ones of the branch electrodes802, and the slit end100is disposed in an edge region of the pixel electrode. Due to the fact that electric intensity in the region where the slit end100is located is weak, deflection of the liquid crystals at the slit end100is insufficient, resulting in a lower initial light transmittance of the slit end100compared to the body portion80. Moreover, an initial light transmittance of the body portion80is less than an initial light transmittance of the slit portion90.

In this embodiment, the initial light transmittance of the slit portion90, the initial light transmittance of the body portion80, and the initial light transmittance of the slit end100decrease sequentially. Correspondingly, a thickness of the alignment layers at the slit end100, a thickness of the alignment layers at the body portion80, and a thickness of the alignment layers at the slit portion90need to increase sequentially, so that a final light transmittance of the slit portion90, a final light transmittance of the body portion80, and a final light transmittance of the slit end100in each of the pixel electrodes tend to be the same, making the display brightness of the slit portion90, the display brightness of the body portion80, and the display brightness of the slit end100tend to be consistent, and improving the uniformity of the display brightness of any one of the pixel electrodes in different regions.

In some embodiments, a distance between the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50at the slit end100, a distance between the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50at the body portion80, and a distance between the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50at the slit portion90increase sequentially.

In some embodiments, any one of the pixel electrodes further includes the liquid crystal molecules4disposed close to the electric field and the liquid crystal molecules4disposed away from the electric field. Both of the thickness of the alignment layers at the liquid crystal molecules4that are disposed close to the electric field and the thickness of the alignment layers at the liquid crystal molecules4that are disposed away from the electric field are less than the thickness of the alignment layers in other regions of the pixel electrodes.

In some embodiments, the deflection of the liquid crystal molecules4close to the electric field is excessive, while the deflection of the liquid crystal molecule4away from the electric field is insufficient.

It can be understood that a strong electric field may lead to excessive liquid crystal deflection, and a weak electric field may lead to insufficient liquid crystal deflection, both of which can make the initial light transmittance of the region corresponding to the liquid crystal molecules4lower. By designing both of the sum of the thicknesses of the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50at the liquid crystal molecules4that are disposed close to the electric field, and the sum of the thicknesses of the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50at the liquid crystal molecules4that are disposed away from the electric field, being less than the sum of the thicknesses of the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50in other regions of the pixel electrodes, the present disclosure can adjust the display brightness of the region at the liquid crystal molecules4that are disposed close to the electric field and away from the electric field, improving the uniformity of the display brightness of each of the pixel electrodes in different regions.

In this embodiment, it can be judged that the liquid crystal molecules4have excessive or insufficient deflection based on the distance from the electric field. A smaller thickness of the alignment layers can be designed in the region with a low initial light transmittance to increase the display brightness of the region with the low initial light transmittance, improving the uniformity of the display brightness of each of the pixel electrodes in different regions.

In some embodiments, sums of the thicknesses of the first alignment layer30and the second alignment layer50corresponding to any two of the pixel electrodes with different initial light transmittance are not equal.

It can be understood that the initial light transmittance of different pixel electrodes may be different for adjacent pixel electrodes. By adjusting the thickness of the alignment layers corresponding to different pixel electrodes, specifically, by designing the thickness of the alignment layers corresponding to the pixel electrodes with a high initial light transmittance being larger, while the thickness of the alignment layers corresponding to the pixel electrodes with a low initial light transmittance being smaller, the uniformity of the display brightness of different pixel units can be improved.

In this embodiment, the thickness of the alignment layers is inversely proportional to the initial light transmittance by adjusting the thickness of the alignment layers corresponding to different pixel electrodes, making the display brightness corresponding to different pixel electrodes tend to be consistent, and further improving the uniformity of the display brightness of different pixel electrodes.

In some embodiments, any one of the pixel electrodes is provided with at least one of the first protrusions60, and heights of the first protrusions60respectively corresponding to the pixel electrodes with different initial light transmittance are different.

It can be understood that the first protrusions60corresponding to each of the pixel electrodes can be used to adjust the thickness of the alignment layers of each of the pixel electrodes in different regions, so as to realize the improvement of the uniformity of the display brightness of any one of the pixel electrodes in different regions.

It can be understood that the first protrusions60with different heights can be disposed opposite to different pixel electrodes, so as to achieve different thicknesses of the alignment layers at different pixel electrodes, thereby improving the uniformity of the display brightness of different pixel electrodes.

It should be noted that, this embodiment mainly adjusts the thickness of the alignment layers through the first protrusions60of the array substrate2, and the second alignment layer50can have a uniform thickness. In some embodiments, the color film substrate3may further include multiple second protrusions70disposed between the second substrate40and the second alignment layer50at intervals. The second protrusions70are mainly used to adjust a deflection angle of the liquid crystal molecules4, thereby achieving a shorter response time of the liquid crystal molecules4at the second protrusions70.

In this embodiment, any one of the pixel electrodes is provided with at least one of the first protrusions60opposite to each other, and the heights of the first protrusions60corresponding to different pixel electrodes with different initial light transmittance are different. With the above-mentioned design, the uniformity of the display brightness of any one of the pixel electrodes in different regions can be improved, moreover, the uniformity of the display brightness of different pixel electrodes can further be improved.

Referring toFIG.2, in some embodiments, a second groove is formed between any adjacent two of the second protrusions70. A thickness d2of the second alignment layer50at the second protrusions70is less than a thickness d4of the second alignment layer50at the second grooves.

In some embodiments, a material of the preparation of the second alignment layer50may be the same as the material of the preparation of the first alignment layer30.

In some embodiments, the material of the preparation of the second alignment layer50may be polyimide.

It can be understood that the thickness of the second alignment layer50can be adjusted through the second protrusions70and the second grooves, and in combination with the design that the thickness of the first alignment layer30can be adjusted through the first protrusions60and the first grooves, the adjustment to the thickness of the alignment layers in different regions can be achieved.

It should be noted that only the second protrusions70disposed in the color filter substrate3can affect the deflection angle of the liquid crystal molecules4in some embodiments. Specifically, the second protrusions70can make the liquid crystal molecules4have a larger deflection angle to improve the response time of the liquid crystals, achieving the multi-domain vertical alignment (MVA) technology.

In this embodiment, by designing the second protrusions70being disposed at intervals and the multiple second grooves in the color filter substrate3, the thickness of the second alignment layer50at the second protrusions70and the second grooves can be adjusted to adjust the thickness of the alignment layers in different regions. Moreover, it can also make the liquid crystal molecules4at the second protrusions70have a larger deflection angle, thereby shortening the time for the liquid crystal molecules4to change to a horizontal state, reducing the penetration time of the backlight, and improving the penetration speed of the backlight.

In some embodiments, the second protrusions70are an independent component.

It can be understood that the second protrusions70can be prepared by using an additional photomask, and the second protrusions70can be disposed on a surface of any film layer above the second substrate40.

Referring toFIG.1, in some embodiments, in the film thickness direction, the second protrusions70may be disposed in misalignment with the first protrusions60, and the second protrusions70and the first protrusions60are disposed in a region with a lower initial light transmittance.

In the structure shown inFIG.1, a first thickness d1is the thickness of the first alignment layer30in the second region120, a second thickness d2is the thickness of the second alignment layer50in the second region120, a third thickness d3is the thickness of the first alignment layer30in the first region110, and a fourth thickness d4is the thickness of the second alignment layer50in the first region110. In some embodiments, the first thickness d1, the second thickness d2, the third thickness d3, and the fourth thickness d4satisfy the following equations: d1<d3, and d2<d4.

In some embodiments, each of the first grooves may be disposed in misalignment with each of the second grooves, and the first grooves and the second grooves are disposed in a region with a higher initial light transmittance.

It can be understood that a height of the first protrusions60is less than a height of the second protrusions70when a depth of the first grooves is greater than a depth of the second grooves. The display brightness of the regions respectively at the first protrusions60and the second protrusions70tend to be consistent by designing the second protrusions70being disposed in alignment with the first grooves, and the first protrusions60being disposed in alignment with the second grooves.

In this embodiment, the second protrusions70can be disposed in alignment with the first grooves, and the first protrusions60can be disposed in alignment with the second grooves by designing the second protrusions70being disposed in misalignment with the first protrusions60, so that luminous brightness of the regions at the first protrusions60and the second protrusions70tend to be consistent.

Referring toFIG.2, in some embodiments, the second protrusions70is disposed opposite to the first protrusions60in the film thickness direction.

In the structure shown inFIG.2, a first thickness d1is the thickness of the first alignment layer30in the second region120, a second thickness d2is the thickness of the second alignment layer50in the second region120, a third thickness d3is the thickness of the first alignment layer30in the first region110, and a fourth thickness d4is the thickness of the second alignment layer50in the first region110. In some embodiments, the first thickness d1, the second thickness d2, the third thickness d3, and the fourth thickness d4satisfy the following equations: d1+d4<d3+d4, and d2+d3<d3+d4.

It can be understood that the initial light transmittance of the region at the second protrusions70is low because of the low liquid crystal penetration rate of the region where the second protrusions70are located. Therefore, the thickness of the alignment layers that needs to be designed at the second protrusions70is relatively small. Based on the above, a small thickness of the alignment layers at the second protrusions70can be achieved by designing the first protrusions60being opposite to the second protrusions70, so that the display brightness of the region where the second protrusions70are located tends to be consistent with the display brightness of other regions, improving the uniformity of the display brightness of the liquid crystal display panel1.

Referring toFIG.1andFIG.2, in some embodiments, the liquid crystal molecules4which are disposed in alignment with the second protrusions70have a first deflection angle α1, and the liquid crystal molecules4in other regions where the second protrusions70are not provided are in an upright static state or have a second deflection angle α2, and the first deflection angle α1is greater than the second deflection angle α2.

It can be understood that an angle through which the liquid crystal molecules4change from the first deflection angle α1to the horizontal state is less than an angle through which the liquid crystal molecules4change from the second deflection angle α2to the horizontal state. Therefore, the time required for the liquid crystal molecules4from being at the first deflection angle α1to change to the horizontal state can be shortened.

It should be noted that the first deflection angle α1is the angle through which the liquid crystal molecules4turn from the upright static state to the first deflection angle α1, and the second deflection angle α2is the angle through which the liquid crystal molecules4turn from the upright static state to the second deflection angle α2.

In this embodiment, the liquid crystal molecules4at the second protrusions70have a larger deflection angle by designing the second protrusions70in the color filter substrate3, thereby shortening the time for the liquid crystal molecules4to change to the horizontal state, reducing the penetration time of the backlight, and further increasing the penetration speed of the backlight.

Embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a display module and/or a display device. Both the display module and the display device include the above-mentioned liquid crystal display panel, which will not be repeated here.

The liquid crystal display panel provided in the embodiments includes the array substrate, the color filter substrate, and the liquid crystal molecules disposed between the array substrate and the color filter substrate. The array substrate includes the first substrate and the first alignment layer disposed on the side of the first substrate facing the color filter substrate. The color filter substrate includes the second substrate and the second alignment layer disposed on the side of the second substrate facing the array substrate. The liquid crystal display panel has at least a first region and a second region, and the initial light transmittance of the first region is greater than the initial light transmittance of the second region. In the film thickness direction, the sum of the thicknesses of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer in the first region is greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer in the second region, so that the final light transmittance of the first region and the final light transmittance of the second region tend to be consistent. By designing the alignment layer with different thicknesses in the regions with different initial light transmittance, specifically, by designing the thickness of the alignment layers in the first region with the high initial light transmittance being greater than the thickness of the alignment layers in the second region with the low initial light transmittance, so that the final light transmittance of different regions tend to be consistent, which in turn makes the display brightness of different regions tend to be consistent, improving the uniformity of the display brightness of different regions.

In the foregoing embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have their own emphases, and for parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, reference may be made to relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

The present disclosure has been described in detail with respect to liquid crystal display panel of the present disclosure. The principles and implementations of the present disclosure are described in detail here with specific examples. The above description of the embodiments is merely intended to help understand the method and core ideas of the present disclosure. At the same time, a person skilled in the art may make changes in the specific embodiments and disclosure scope according to the idea of the present disclosure. In conclusion, the content of the present specification should not be construed as a limitation to the present disclosure.