BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the assembled structure of a first substrate and a second substrate in an ODF process;
FIG. 2A is a schematic top view of a conventional display panel;
FIG. 2B is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the conventional display panel along line 2B-2B′ of FIG. 2A;
FIG. 3A is a schematic top view of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3B is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a display panel along line 3B-3B′ of FIG. 3A;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a circumferential slot on a segment of the black matrix;
FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic views illustrating a plurality of windows with different shapes on a segment of the black matrix;
FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the intermediately disposed sealant with full exposure under the black matrix;
FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the manner in which the sealant is shielded partially out by the black matrix;
FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the intermediately disposed sealant with partial exposure under the black matrix; and
FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating the system of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 3A is a schematic top view of a display panel 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention and a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the display panel 30 along line 3B-3B′ is shown in FIG. 3B. The display panel 30 comprises a first substrate 31, a second substrate 33, a color filter matrix 34, a TFT array 36, a sealing structure, and a black matrix 39. The sealing structure adapted for assembling the first substrate 31 to the second substrate 33 by a sealant 35 in an ODF process. With reference to FIG. 3B, the embodiment shows that the sealant 35 overlays with the black matrix 39, which has a slot 41. In this embodiment, the first substrate 31, under which disposed the color filter matrix 34, has a first frame region 311, and the second substrate 33, above which disposed the TFT array 36, has a second frame region 331. The sealant 35 is applied between the first frame region 311 and the second frame region 331. The black matrix 39 is continuously disposed along the first frame region 311 of the first substrate 31, on an inner surface as shown. In FIG. 3A schematically showing the top of the display panel 30 of this embodiment, the sealant 35 is shown by the area defined between circumferential broken lines.
In this embodiment, for the UV light to pass through the black matrix 39 to photosensitize and cure the sealant 35, openings formed on the black matrix 39 are needed. In this case, the black matrix 39 is, but not limited to, formed with the circumferential slot 41 along the first frame region 311, through which the sealant 35 can be exposed.
A top view of the slot 41 on a segment of the black matrix 39 is illustrated in FIG. 4. As another example, the black matrix 39 is, but not limited to, formed with a plurality of windows 43, 45, resulting in two alternative ways, shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, through which the sealant 35 can be exposed to the UV light. The windows 43, 45 can be any kind of hole or groove contour, as long as it follows the desired arrangement for appropriate UV light exposure.
The material used for the sealant 35 is selected from the group of photosensitive resins, or other photosensitive materials, such as Type 717 manufactured by Kyoritsu Chemical Co., Ltd, U98T-3 manufactured by Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd, or SWB-10 manufactured by Sekisui Co., Ltd. The desired UV light passage ratio under which the slot 41 or the windows 43, 45 needs to be formed on the black matrix 39 depends on the materials as employed for the sealant 35. This is because different materials may require different dimensions of exposure areas for curing the sealant 35. As compared with the conventional structure as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the arrangement according to the present invention offers a larger active area as shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B.
It is understandable that the black matrix 39 can be disposed along the first frame region 311 of the first substrate 31 in a continuous manner or in another manner, as long as the black matrix 39 may perform its inherent purposes of blocking the undesired light.
FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another embodiment which shows the sealant 35 with full exposure under the black matrix 39. In this embodiment, the comparatively greater UV light passage ratio is especially suitable for a sealant material that has a lower capability of photosensitivity. This embodiment also makes it possible to more efficiently diminish the panel dimensions because the sealant 35 does not share extra space in view of the planar space of the black matrix existing in the original design.
FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another embodiment which shows the sealant 35 partially exposed out of the outer end of the black matrix 39, with an inner portion thereof overlaid by the black matrix 39. FIG. 8 illustrates a further embodiment that shows a sealant 35 disposed under the black matrix, with an outer portion thereof overlaid by the black matrix 39. Additional light blocking elements, such as black circumferential stripes, can be selectively disposed at the housing or bezel of an LCD module which uses the sealing structures as mentioned in the above embodiments. The light blocking elements are provided in positions corresponding to the black matrix, in order to make up for any light leakage from the color filter matrix through the openings of the black matrix formed by curing the sealant. An alternative way to introduce the additional light blocking elements is to employ a sealant 35 which has a dark (e.g. black) color.
The above-mentioned sealing structure of the display panel 30 could be assembled with any kind of components to form the system 3. As shown in FIG. 9, the system 3 for displaying images further comprises an electronic device 60 which includes an input device 50 coupled to the display panel 30 for providing the displaying images. The electronic device is, but is not limited to be, a PDA, a display monitor, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a digital camera, a television, a car display, a portable DVD player, a cellular phone or the equivalent multi-functional device with the combination thereof.
According to the present invention, the sealing structure of the display panel 30 would result in a relatively larger active area, on a same-size display panel construction, or a relatively more compact panel dimension, on a same-size active area. In brief, the displaying region could be better utilized through the arrangement of the present invention.
The above disclosure is related to the detailed technical contents and inventive features thereof. People skilled in this field may proceed with a variety of modifications and replacements based on the disclosures and suggestions of the invention as described without departing from the characteristics thereof. Nevertheless, although such modifications and replacements are not fully disclosed in the above descriptions, they have substantially been covered in the following claims as appended.
Patent Application
20070273821
