Patent ID: 7418991

Claim:
A substrate bonding apparatus for manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, comprising: a base frame; a lower chamber unit mounted to the base frame; an upper chamber unit joinable to the lower chamber unit, wherein the upper and lower chambers define an interior space capable of being sealed and evacuated to apply a vacuum pressure; an upper stage fixed to the upper chamber unit for securing a first substrate; and a lower stage fixed to the lower chamber unit for securing a second substrate; wherein at least one of the upper and lower stages includes: a fixing plate coupled to a corresponding one of the upper and lower chamber units; a securing plate for securing a corresponding one of the first and second substrates; at least one first elastic member arranged between the corresponding one of the upper and lower chamber units and the fixing plate; and at least one second elastic member arranged between the fixing plate and the securing plate, wherein the securing plate includes a plurality of holes for transmitting a suction force to a secure substrate, and wherein the first and second elastic members apply restorative forces to the fixing plate and securing plate to oppose deformation of the fixing plate and securing plate due to deforming forces generated by convex bending of the corresponding one of the upper and lower chamber units due to application of the vacuum pressure and the weight of the upper and lower stages.