Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a field of liquid crystal (LC) display manufacturing technique, and more particularly relates to an LC injection device and an LC container thereof. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal (LC) display panel, a One Drop Fill technique is conventionally used to fill the LCs into the LC display panel. The technique can combine the LC filling and the substrate sealing in one operation. Therefore, the LC filling efficiency and the product yield in the mid and large size LC display panel is greatly increased. 
         [0003]    The One Drop Fill technique described above is conventionally accomplished by an LC injection device. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the operative principle of the conventional LC injection device is: LCs  105  are stored in an LC bottle  101 . An LC pump  104  will extract the LCs  105  within the LC bottle  101  through a transporting pipe  102  and the LCs  105  are filtered by a filter  103 . Thereafter, the LCs  105  are filled into the LC display panel (not shown). A remaining LC quantity detecting sensor  106  is disposed near the bottom of the LC bottle  101  and is utilized for detecting the remaining LC quantity within the LC bottle  101 . When the remaining LC quantity detecting sensor  106  detects the remaining LC quantity within the LC bottle  101  is below a predetermined level, it is required to change the LC bottle  101 . 
         [0004]    In the LC injection device described above, the LCs  105  within the LC bottle  101 , which is lower than the detective level of the remaining LC quantity detecting sensor  106 , cannot be used, so the utilization efficiency of the LCs  105  within the LC bottle  101  is lower, as a result, the LCs are wasted. 
         [0005]    In order to efficiently use the LCs  105  within the LC bottle  101  in the LC injection device, the current solution is: the remaining LCs in multiple LC bottles are collected and retrieved in one LC bottle, and the impurities quantity and LC resistivity thereof are detected. If the requirements are satisfied, the LCs can be reused after bubbles removing. 
         [0006]    However, in the LC injection device described above, one time utilization efficiency of the LCs  105  is lower and the replacing frequency of the LC bottle  101  is higher. Therefore, it is necessary to shut down the machine and the production capacity is affected. In addition, according to the solution described above, the remaining LCs in many LC bottles are collected and retrieved in one LC bottle, but a certain amount of the LCs cannot be collected in this process, as a result, the LCs are wasted. 
         [0007]    Moreover, in the LC injection device described above, the bottle body of the LC bottle  101  is colored or non-transparency. Therefore, when the remaining LC detecting sensor  106  disposed near the bottom of the LC bottle  101  is going to detect the remaining quantity of the LCs  105  within the LC bottle  101  from the outside of the LC bottle  101 , the interruption is caused by the color of the LC bottle  101 , and a wrong detection result is obtained. In addition, because the relative position of the remaining LC detecting sensor  106  with respect to the LC bottle  101  is not fixed, the remaining LC detecting sensor  106  may also detects a wrong detection result when the relative position of the remaining LC detecting sensor  106  with respect to the LC bottle  101  is changed. In the two conditions described above, the wrong detection result detected by the remaining LC detecting sensor  106  could cause the LC bottle  101  fails to be replaced in time and the LC pump  104  cannot output the LCs  105 , so the LC display panel, which is required to be filled with the LCs  105 , is invalid or required to be reworked. 
         [0008]    Therefore, it is necessary to provide a novel technique to solve the problem described above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal (LC) injection device to enhance the utilization efficiency of the LC container and reduce the replacing frequency of the LC container so as to reduce LC waste. 
         [0010]    For achieving the above-mentioned resolution, the present invention proposes an LC injection device including: an LC container for storing LCs; a transporting pipe for transporting the LC and the transporting pipe includes a first pipe section and a second pipe section; a filter for filtering impurities in the LCs, and the filter including an input end and an output end, and the first pipe section is connected with the input end and the second pipe section is connected with the output end; an LC extractor for pumping the LCs from the LC container via the transporting pipe and outputting the LCs; an inner wall of a bottom in the LC container being a concave shape; the inner wall of the bottom in the LC container being provided with a cavity; and the device further including: a sensor for detecting a remaining LC quantity within the LC container and sending out a notice when the remaining LC quantity within the LC container is smaller than a predetermined level. 
         [0011]    As the LC injection device described above, the first pipe section includes a first pipe end and a second pipe end and the second pipe section includes a third pipe end and a fourth pipe end, and the first pipe end of the first pipe section is disposed within the cavity of the LC container, the second pipe end of the first pipe section is connected with the input end of the filter, the third pipe end of the second pipe section is connected with the output end of the filter and the fourth pipe end of the second pipe section is connected with the LC extractor. 
         [0012]    As the LC injection device described above, a minimum inscribed circle radius of a cross section of the cavity is larger than or equal to a circumscribed circle radius of the cross section of the first pipe end. 
         [0013]    As the LC injection device described above, the first pipe section includes a detecting zone and a pipe diameter in the detecting zone of the first pipe section is larger than the pipe diameter in an area outside of the detecting zone of the first pipe section, the detecting zone of the first pipe section is transparent or partially transparent, the sensor is disposed near the detecting zone and utilized for detecting if bubbles existed in the detecting zone and send out a notice when the bubbles are detected. 
         [0014]    As the LC injection device described above, the sensor is an ultrasonic air bubble detecting sensor, a radar air bubble detecting sensor or an infrared ray air bubble detecting sensor. 
         [0015]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an LC injection device to increase the utilization efficiency and reduce the replacing frequency of the LC container so as to reduce LC waste. 
         [0016]    For achieving the above-mentioned resolution, the present invention proposes an LC injection device, comprising: an LC container for storing LCs; a transporting pipe for transporting the LCs and including a first pipe section and a second pipe section; a filter for filtering impurities in the LCs, and the filter including an input end and an output end, and the first pipe section is connected with the input end and the second pipe section is connected with the output end; an LC extractor for pumping the LCs from the LC container via the transporting pipe and outputting the LCs; an inner wall of a bottom in the LC container being a concave shape. 
         [0017]    As the LC injection device described above, the inner wall of the bottom in the LC container is provided with a cavity. 
         [0018]    As the LC injection device described above, the first pipe section includes a first pipe end and a second pipe end and the second pipe section includes a third pipe end and a fourth pipe end, and the first pipe end of the first pipe section is disposed within the cavity of the LC container, the second pipe end of the first pipe section is connected with the input end of the filter, the third pipe end of the second pipe section is connected with the output end of the filter and the fourth pipe end of the second pipe section is connected with the LC extractor. 
         [0019]    As the LC injection device described above, a minimum inscribed circle radius of a cross section of the cavity is larger than or equal to a circumscribed circle radius of the cross section of the first pipe end. 
         [0020]    As the LC injection device described above, the first pipe end of the transporting pipe includes at least one gap. 
         [0021]    As the LC injection device described above, the LC injection device further includes a sensor utilized for detecting a remaining LC quantity within the LC container and send out a notice when the remaining LC quantity within the LC container is smaller than a predetermined level. 
         [0022]    As the LC injection device described above, the first pipe section includes a detecting zone and a pipe diameter in the detecting zone of the first pipe section is larger than the pipe diameter in an area outside of the detecting zone of the first pipe section, the detecting zone of the first pipe section is transparent or partially transparent, the sensor is disposed near the detecting zone and utilized for detecting if bubbles existed in the detecting zone and send out a notice when the bubbles are detected. 
         [0023]    As the LC injection device described above, the sensor is an ultrasonic air bubble detecting sensor, a radar air bubble detecting sensor or an infrared ray air bubble detecting sensor. 
         [0024]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an LC container to increase the utilization efficiency and reduce the replacing frequency of the LC container so as to reduce LC waste. 
         [0025]    For achieving the above-mentioned resolution, the present invention proposes an LC container, and an inner wall of a bottom in the LC container is a concave shape. 
         [0026]    As the LC container described above, the inner wall of the bottom in the LC container is provided with a cavity. 
         [0027]    The above-mentioned description of the present invention can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a view illustrating a conventional liquid crystal (LC) injection device; 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating an LC injection device in a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a view illustrating an LC injection device in a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0031]    In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and as shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. 
         [0032]    Please refer to  FIG. 2 , which is a view illustrating a liquid crystal (LC) injection device in a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the LC injection device in the present invention includes: an LC container, a transporting pipe  202 , a filter  203  and an LC extractor. In the present embodiment, the LC container is an LC bottle  201 , and the LC extractor is an LC pump  204 . The LC bottle  201  is utilized for storing LCs  205  extracted by the LC pump  204 . The transporting pipe  202  is utilized for transporting the LCs  205 . The transporting pipe  202  includes a first pipe section  2021  and a second pipe section  2022 . The filter  203  is utilized for filtering the impurities within the LCs  205 , which are transported by the transporting pipe  202 . The filter  203  includes an input end and an output end. The first pipe section  2021  of the transporting pipe  202  is connected with the input end and the second pipe section  2022  of the transporting pipe  202  is connected with the output end. In addition, the second pipe section  2022  of the transporting pipe  202  is also connected with the LC pump  204 . The LC pump  204  is utilized for extracting the LCs  205  from the LC bottle  201  via the transporting pipe  202  and outputting the LCs  205 . Practically, the LCs  205  extracted by the LC pump  204  are filled into the LC display panel (not shown). 
         [0033]    The inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is a concave shape. Practically, the concave direction of the inner wall of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is the direction where the top of the LC bottle directs to the bottom. The lowest position at the inner wall of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is located in any positions on the inner wall of the bottom, such as at the center of the inner wall of the bottom. The inner wall of the bottom can be a slope, a curve surface or any combination thereof. 
         [0034]    The lowest position at the inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is provided with a cavity  2012  and the cavity  2012  is utilized for disposing the LCs  205  and a pipe end of the transporting pipe  202 . When the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201  is lower, the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201  will gather in the cavity  2012  because the position of the cavity  2012  is lower than any other positions of the inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201 . Therefore, the LCs  205  can flow from the pipe end of the cavity  2012  into the transporting pipe  202 . 
         [0035]    The first pipe section  2021  of the transporting pipe  202  includes a first pipe end and a second pipe end. The first pipe end is disposed within the cavity  2012  of the LC bottle  201 . A minimum inscribed circle radius of a cross section of the cavity  2012  is larger than or equal to a circumscribed circle radius of the cross section of the first pipe end. The second pipe end is connected with the output end of the filter  203 . The second pipe section  2022  of the transporting pipe  202  includes a third pipe end and a fourth pipe end. The third pipe end is connected with the output end of the filter  203  and the fourth pipe end is connected with the LC pump  204 . The minimum inscribed circle radius of a cross section of the cavity  2012  is larger than or equal to a circumscribed circle radius of the cross section of the first pipe end. Therefore, the first pipe end of the first pipe section can be completely entered within the cavity  2012 . Moreover, the first pipe end can contact the bottom of the cavity  2012  to extract more LCs  205  by the LC pump, so the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201  can be fully utilized. 
         [0036]    According to a modification in the present embodiment, the first pipe end of the transporting pipe  202  includes a gap  2023 . Therefore, the edge of the first pipe end is completely attached to the bottom of the cavity  2012  and the LCs  205  gathered within the cavity  2012  can flow from the first pipe end into the transporting pipe  202 . The LC pump  204  can extract the LCs  205  within the cavity  2012  as much as possible and the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201  can be fully utilized. In order to avoid the gap  2023  of the pipe end is too close to the side wall of the cavity  2012  and the LCs  205  cannot flow into the transporting pipe  202 , the edge of the pipe orifice in the first pipe end is a saw-toothed shape. Therefore, the LCs  205  can flow into the surrounding area of the pipe orifice in the first pipe end. 
         [0037]    In the LC injection device in the present invention, because the inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is a concave shape and the cavity  2012  is disposed in the lowest position of the inner wall  2011  of the bottom of the LC bottle  201 , in order to detect the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  in the LC bottle  201 , the conventional remaining LC quantity detecting sensor cannot be used to detect the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  in the bottom of the LC bottle  201 . The reason is that the thickness in the bottom of the LC bottle  201 , which is close to the bottle body, is larger and would shelter or interrupt the remaining LC quantity detecting sensor and the remaining LC quantity detecting sensor cannot detect the accurate value. In order to solve the technique problems described above, the solution in the present invention is: 
         [0038]    In the present embodiment, the LC injection device in the present invention further includes a sensor  207  and the sensor  207  is utilized for detecting the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  in the LC bottle  201 . If the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  in the LC bottle  201  is lower than the predetermined level, the sensor  207  will send out a notice or warning. Practically, the first pipe section includes a detective zone  208  and the detective zone  208  is partially transparent or transparent. The sensor  207  is disposed near the detective zone  208  and faced to the transparent portion of the detective zone  208 . Therefore, it is advantageous for the sensor  207  to detect bubbles from the transparent detective zone  208 . In the present embodiment, the sensor  207  can be a sensor selected from an ultrasonic air bubble detecting sensor, a radar air bubble detecting sensor and an infrared ray air bubble detecting sensor and so on and utilized for detecting if bubbles are existed in the detective zone  208  of the first pipe section. Therefore, because the flowing speed of the bubbles in the detective zone  208  with larger pipe diameter is slower than in the pipe section with smaller pipe diameter, the sensor  207  can precisely detect the bubbles therein, when the bubbles are existed in the detective zone  208 . 
         [0039]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 , which is a view illustrating the LC injection device in a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the LC injection device in the present invention includes an LC container, a transporting pipe  202 , a filter  203  and an LC extractor. In the present embodiment, the LC container is an LC bottle  201 , and the LC extractor is an LC pump  204 . The LC bottle  201  is utilized for storing and providing LCs  205 . The transporting pipe  202  is utilized for transporting the LCs  205  and includes a first pipe section  2021  and a second pipe section  2022 . The filter  203  is utilized for filtering the impurities within the LCs  205 , which is transported by the transporting pipe  202 . The filter  203  includes an input end and an output end. The first pipe section  2021  of the transporting pipe  202  is connected with the input end and the second pipe section  2022  of the transporting pipe  202  is connected with the output end. In addition, the second pipe section  2022  of the transporting pipe  202  is also connected with the LC pump  204 . The LC pump  204  is utilized for extracting the LCs  205  from the transporting pipe  202  and the LC bottle  201  and outputting the LCs  205 . Practically, the LCs  205  extracted by the LC pump  204  is filled into the LC display panel (not shown). The first pipe section  2021  of the transporting pipe  202  includes a first pipe end and a second pipe end. The first pipe end is disposed within the LC bottle  201 . The second pipe end is connected with the output end of the filter  203 . The second pipe section  2022  of the transporting pipe  202  includes a third pipe end and a fourth pipe end. The third pipe end is connected with the output end of the filter  203  and the fourth pipe end is connected with the LC pump  204 . 
         [0040]    The inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is a concave shape. Practically, the concave direction of the inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is the direction where the top of the LC bottle  201  directs to the bottom. The lowest position of the inner wall of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is located in any positions on the inner wall of the bottom, such as at the edge of the inner wall of the bottom. The inner wall of the bottom can be a slope, a curve surface or any combination thereof. 
         [0041]    The lowest position in the inner wall  2011  of the bottom of the LC bottle  201  is provided with a cavity  2012  and the cavity  2012  is utilized for disposing the LCs  205  and a pipe end of the transporting pipe  202 . When the remaining quantity of the LC  205  within the LC bottle  201  is lower, the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201  will gather in the cavity  2012  because the position of the cavity  2012  is lower than any other position of the inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201 . Therefore, the LCs  205  can flow from the pipe end of the cavity  2012  into the transporting pipe  202 . The first pipe end is disposed within the cavity  2012  of the LC bottle  201  and the minimum inscribed circle radius of a cross section of the cavity  2012  is larger than or equal to a circumscribed circle radius of the cross section of the first pipe end. Therefore, the first pipe end of the first pipe section can be completely entered within the cavity  2012 . Furthermore, the first pipe end can contact the bottom of the cavity  2012  to extract more LCs  205  by the LC pump  204  and the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201  can be fully utilized. 
         [0042]    According to a modification in the present embodiment, the first pipe end of the transporting pipe  202  includes a gap  2023 . Therefore, the edge of the first pipe end is completely attached to the bottom of the cavity  2012  and the LCs  205  gathered within the cavity  2012  can flow from the first pipe end into the transporting pipe  202 . The LC pump  204  can extract the LCs  205  within the cavity  2012  as much as possible and the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201  can be fully utilized. In order to avoid the gap  2023  of the pipe end is too close to the side wall of the cavity  2012  and the LCs  205  cannot flow into the transporting pipe  202 , the edge of the pipe orifice of the first pipe end is a saw-toothed shape. Therefore, the LCs  205  can flow into the surrounding area of the edge of the pipe orifice of the first pipe end. 
         [0043]    In the LC injection device of the present invention, because the inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is a concave shape and the cavity  2012  is disposed in the lowest position of the inner wall  2011  of the bottom of the LC bottle  201 , in order to detect the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  in the LC bottle  201 , the conventional remaining LC quantity detecting sensor cannot be used to detect the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  in the bottom of the LC bottle  201 . The reason is that the thickness in the bottom of the LC bottle  201 , which is close to the bottle body, is larger and would shelter or interrupt the remaining LC quantity detecting sensor and the remaining LC quantity detecting sensor cannot detect the accurate value. In order to solve the technique problems described above, the solution in the present invention is: 
         [0044]    In the present embodiment, the LC injection device in the present invention further includes a sensor  207  and the sensor  207  is utilized for detecting the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  in the LC bottle  201 . If the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  in the LC bottle  201  is lower than the predetermined level, the sensor  207  will send out a notice or warning. Practically, the first pipe section includes a detective zone  208  and the detective zone  208  is partially transparent or transparent. The sensor  207  is disposed near the detective zone  208  and faced to the transparent portion of the detective zone  208 . Therefore, it is advantageous for the sensor  207  to detect bubbles from the transparent detective zone  208 . In the present embodiment, the sensor  207  can be a sensor selected from an ultrasonic air bubble detecting sensor, a radar air bubble detecting sensor and an infrared ray air bubble detecting sensor and so on and utilized for detecting if bubbles are existed in the detective zone  208  of the first pipe section. In the first pipe section, the pipe diameter in the detective zone  208  is larger than the pipe diameter in any other areas. Therefore, because the flowing speed of the bubbles in the detective zone  208  with larger pipe diameter is slower than in the pipe section with smaller pipe diameter, the sensor  207  can precisely detect the bubbles therein when the bubbles are existed in the detective zone  208 . 
         [0045]    According to the LC container in the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the LC container is the LC bottle  201  and the inner wall of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is a concave shape. Practically, the concave direction of the inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is the direction where the top of the LC bottle  201  directs to the bottom. The lowest position of the inner wall of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is located in any positions on the inner wall of the bottom, such as at the center of the inner wall of the bottom. The inner wall of the bottom can be a slope shape, a curved shape or any combination thereof. 
         [0046]    In the LC bottle of the present invention, the lowest position in the inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  includes a cavity  2012  and the cavity  2012  is utilized for disposing the LCs  205  and a pipe end of the transporting pipe  202 . Especially, when the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201  is lower, the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201  will gather in the cavity  2012  because the position of the cavity  2012  is lower than any other position at the inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201 . Therefore, the pipe pump  204  can extract the LCs  205  by cooperating with the pipe end within the cavity  2012 . 
         [0047]    In the present invention, because the inner wall  2011  of the bottom in the LC bottle  201  is a concave shape and the cavity  2012  is disposed in the lowest position of the inner wall  2011  within the bottom of the LC bottle  201 . When the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  in the LC bottle  201  is lower, the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201  will gather in the cavity  2012  and the LC pump  204  can completely extract the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201  with respect to the transporting pipe  202  (one pipe end of the transporting pipe  202  is disposed within the cavity  2012 ). The LCs  205  within the cavity  2012  can be fully utilized and the replacing frequency of the LC bottle  201  is lower. In addition, the edge of the pipe orifice in the first pipe end of the transporting pipe  202  within the cavity  2012  includes at least one gap  2023 . Therefore, the edge of the pipe orifice in the first pipe end completely attached to the bottom of the cavity  2012  can be avoided to prevent that the LCs  205  gathered within the cavity  2012  can flow from the first pipe end into the transporting pipe  202 . The LC injection device in the present invention further includes a sensor  207  and the first pipe section includes a detective zone  208 . The sensor  207  is disposed near the detective zone  208  to detect the bubbles therein. Therefore, the sensor  207  can precisely determine the remaining quantity of the LCs  205  within the LC bottle  201 . Because the pipe diameter in the detective zone  208  of the first pipe section  2021  is larger than the pipe diameter in any other areas, the flowing speed of the bubble in the detective zone  208  is slower than any other areas when the bubbles are entering in the detective zone. It is advantageous for the sensor  207  to detect the bubbles precisely to get a better detection result. 
         [0048]    As described above, the present invention has been described with preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications to the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.

Technology Category: 3