JP2024038595A - Liquid crystal panels and liquid crystal display devices - Google Patents

Abstract

To sufficiently suppress a phenomenon that liquid crystal leaks into a seal part.SOLUTION: A liquid crystal panel 11 comprises a first substrate 20 that has a first principal plane 20A, a second substrate 21 that has a second principal plane 21B that faces the first principal plane 20A of the first substrate 20, a liquid crystal layer 22 that is sandwiched between the first principal plane 20A of the first substrate 20 and the second principal plane 21B of the second substrate 21, a seal part 23 that is sandwiched between the first principal plane 20A of the first substrate 20 and the second principal plane 21B of the second substrate 21 and encloses the liquid crystal layer 22, a first protrusion 36 that protrudes from the first principal plane 20A of the first substrate 20 toward the second substrate 21, and a second protrusion 37 that protrudes from the second principal plane 21B of the second substrate 21 toward the first substrate 20. The first and second protrusions 36, 37 are arranged at the boundary of the liquid crystal layer 22 and the seal part 23, and have a clearance C between each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a liquid crystal panel and a liquid crystal display device.

As an example of a conventional liquid crystal panel, one described in Patent Document 1 below is known. The liquid crystal display element, which is a liquid crystal panel described in Patent Document 1, includes a pair of substrates bonded together using a closed-loop sealing material formed around a display area at a distance from the display area, and a bond between the pair of substrates. a liquid crystal layer maintained at a cell gap of a predetermined thickness disposed in the display area, and a large cell thickness area in which a cell gap larger than the cell gap of the display area is formed between the display area and the sealing material. is formed.

Patent No. 5548466

In the liquid crystal display element described in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, since a thick cell area is formed between the display area and the sealing material, the amount of liquid crystal to be dropped is taken into account the liquid crystal flowing into the thick cell area. need to be set. As the amount of dropped liquid crystal increases, the speed at which the liquid crystal spreads during bonding increases, so even if the liquid crystal flows into the thick cell area, the timing at which the liquid crystal comes into contact with the uncured sealant will be different from before. The results were not that different. For this reason, there was a problem in that it was not possible to sufficiently suppress the phenomenon that the liquid crystal was inserted into the uncured sealing material.

The technology described in this specification was developed based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to sufficiently suppress the phenomenon that liquid crystal is inserted into the seal portion.

(1) A liquid crystal panel related to the technology described in this specification includes a first substrate having a first main surface, and a second substrate having a second main surface opposite to the first main surface of the first substrate. , a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first main surface of the first substrate and the second main surface of the second substrate; a first convex portion protruding from the first principal surface of the first substrate toward the second substrate; a second convex portion protruding from the second main surface toward the first substrate, the first convex portion and the second convex portion being arranged at a boundary between the liquid crystal layer and the sealing portion. , with a gap between each other.

(2) In addition to the above (1), the liquid crystal panel further includes a concave portion recessed from the second main surface of the second substrate, and the seal portion is hardened by applying at least one of light and heat. and a spacer material dispersed in the hardening material, and the recess is arranged at a position adjacent to at least one of the first convex part and the second convex part in the forming range of the seal part. You can.

(3) Further, in the liquid crystal panel, in addition to the above (2), the first convex portion may be arranged closer to the liquid crystal layer than the concave portion in the forming range of the seal portion.

(4) Further, in the liquid crystal panel, in addition to the above (3), the second convex portion may be arranged at a position adjacent to the first convex portion in the formation range of the liquid crystal layer.

(5) In addition to the above (4), the liquid crystal panel also has a protrusion dimension of the first protrusion from the first main surface, and a protrusion dimension of the second protrusion from the second main surface. , may be smaller than the distance between the first main surface and the second main surface.

(6) In addition to any one of (2) to (5) above, the liquid crystal panel may include an insulating film whose surface constitutes the second main surface, and an insulating film whose surface constitutes the second principal surface. An electrode disposed on an upper layer side and a circuit section disposed on a lower layer side of the insulating film are provided, and a contact hole is provided in a position of the insulating film overlapping with the electrode, The recess may be provided by opening the insulating film.

(7) In addition to any one of the above (1) to (6) above, the liquid crystal panel may include, in addition to any one of the above (1) to (6), a structure in which the liquid crystal layer is formed on the first substrate from the first principal surface to the second substrate. A spacer may be provided that protrudes toward the spacer, and the first convex portion may have a protrusion dimension from the first main surface that is the same as a protrusion dimension from the first main surface of the spacer.

(8) In addition to the above (7), the liquid crystal panel may include a portion of the second substrate that protrudes from the second main surface toward the first substrate in a region where the liquid crystal layer is formed and overlaps with the spacer. A bump is provided, the spacer includes a first spacer and a second spacer, and the bump includes a first bump that overlaps the first spacer and a second spacer. a second bump that overlaps with the first spacer, the first spacer is received by the first bump, and the second spacer has a protruding dimension from the first main surface such that The protrusion size of the first convex portion may be smaller than the protrusion size of the first spacer, and the protrusion size of the first convex portion from the first main surface may be the same as the protrusion size of the second spacer from the first main surface. .

(9) In addition to any one of the above (1) to (8), the liquid crystal panel may include, in addition to any of the above (1) to (8), a structure in which the liquid crystal layer is formed on the first substrate from the first main surface to the second substrate. A spacer is provided that protrudes toward the second substrate, and the second substrate is provided with a bump that protrudes from the second main surface toward the first substrate and is arranged to overlap with the spacer in a region where the liquid crystal layer is formed. The second convex portion may have a protrusion dimension from the second main surface that is the same as a protrusion dimension from the second main surface of the bump.

(10) In addition to any one of (1) to (9) above, in the liquid crystal panel, the first convex portion has an annular shape extending over the entire circumference of the first substrate; The second convex portion may have an annular shape extending over the entire circumference of the second substrate.

(11) A liquid crystal display device according to the technology described in this specification includes a liquid crystal panel according to any one of (1) to (10) above, and is arranged opposite to the liquid crystal panel on the back side. and a lighting device.

According to the technology described in this specification, it is possible to sufficiently suppress the phenomenon that the liquid crystal is inserted into the seal portion.

A schematic cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 1 A plan view of a liquid crystal panel included in the liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 1. A schematic cross-sectional view of a liquid crystal panel according to Embodiment 1 A plan view showing a pixel arrangement of a liquid crystal panel according to Embodiment 1. A cross-sectional view showing a configuration provided in a display area of a liquid crystal panel according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the liquid crystal panel according to Embodiment 1, in which the first convex portion, the second convex portion, and the concave portion are shown in different hatching shapes. A partially enlarged plan view of FIG. 6 according to Embodiment 1 A cross-sectional view showing a configuration provided in a non-display area of a liquid crystal panel according to Embodiment 1. A cross-sectional view showing a state before a mother counter substrate and a mother array substrate are bonded together in the manufacturing process of the coupled liquid crystal panel according to Embodiment 1. A cross-sectional view showing a state in the middle of bonding a mother counter substrate and a mother array substrate in the manufacturing process of the coupled liquid crystal panel according to Embodiment 1. A cross-sectional view showing a state in which a mother counter substrate and a mother array substrate are bonded together in the manufacturing process of the coupled liquid crystal panel according to Embodiment 1. A plan view of a liquid crystal panel included in a liquid crystal display device according to Embodiment 2 FIG. 2 is a plan view of a liquid crystal panel according to Embodiment 2, in which the first convex portion, the second convex portion, and the concave portion are shown in different hatching shapes. A partially enlarged plan view of FIG. 13 according to Embodiment 2

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 11. In this embodiment, a liquid crystal display device 10 will be illustrated. Note that an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis are shown in a part of each drawing, and each axis direction is drawn to be the direction shown in each drawing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display device 10 according to the present embodiment includes a liquid crystal panel 11 capable of displaying an image, and a backlight device (illumination device) arranged on the back side (rear side) of the liquid crystal panel 11. 12. The backlight device 12 is an external light source that irradiates the liquid crystal panel 11 with light for use in display. The backlight device 12 includes a light source (for example, an LED) that emits white light (white light), an optical member that converts the light from the light source into planar light by applying an optical effect to the light, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid crystal panel 11 has a substantially regular dodecagonal external shape when viewed from above. A central portion of the main surface of the liquid crystal panel 11 is a display area AA in which an image is displayed. The display area AA has a substantially circular outer shape when viewed from above. In other words, the planar shape of the display area AA is dissimilar to the outer shape of the liquid crystal panel 11. Note that the area surrounded by the dashed line in FIG. 2 is the display area AA. Of the main surface of the liquid crystal panel 11, a frame-shaped outer circumferential portion surrounding the display area AA is set as a non-display area NAA where no image is displayed. Note that, although it is preferable that the liquid crystal display device 10 according to the present embodiment be used in various electronic devices such as a smart watch, this is not necessarily the case.

As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid crystal panel 11 includes a pair of substrates 20 and 21 that are bonded together, a liquid crystal layer 22 that is sandwiched between the pair of substrates 20 and 21, and a liquid crystal layer 22 that is sandwiched between the pair of substrates 20 and 21. and a seal portion 23 that surrounds the liquid crystal layer 22. Of the pair of substrates 20 and 21, the one placed on the front side is a counter substrate (first substrate) 20, and the one placed on the back side is an array substrate (second substrate) 21. The counter substrate 20 and the array substrate 21 are both made of glass, for example. The liquid crystal layer 22 includes liquid crystal, which is a substance whose optical properties change as an electric field is applied. The liquid crystal layer 22 is arranged over the entire display area AA of the liquid crystal panel 11, and is also arranged in a part of the non-display area NAA. The seal portion 23 surrounds the entire circumference of the liquid crystal layer 22 and seals the liquid crystal. Note that, as shown in FIG. 2, the array substrate 21 has a protruding portion 21A that protrudes laterally with respect to the counter substrate 20. A driver, a flexible board, etc. can be mounted on the protruding portion 21A. Furthermore, a pair of polarizing plates is attached to the outer surfaces of the pair of substrates 20 and 21.

The pixel arrangement in the display area AA of the array substrate 21 will be explained using FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, on the inner surface of the display area AA of the array substrate 21, a plurality of gate wirings (scanning wirings) 24 and source wirings (image wirings) 25 are arranged in a grid pattern. A TFT (thin film transistor) 26 and a pixel electrode (electrode) 27 are provided near the intersection of the gate wiring 24 and the source wiring 25. The gate wiring 24 extends generally along the X-axis direction across the display area AA, and is connected to the gate electrode 26A of each TFT 26. A plurality of gate wirings 24 are arranged side by side at intervals in the Y-axis direction. The source wiring 25 extends generally along the Y-axis direction so as to traverse the display area AA, and is connected to the source electrode 26B of each TFT 26. A plurality of source wirings 25 are arranged at intervals in the X-axis direction. Although the gate wiring 24 and the source wiring 25 cross each other, they are insulated by interposing an insulating film therebetween. A plurality of TFTs 26 and pixel electrodes 27 are arranged regularly in a matrix along the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. The pixel electrode 27 is connected to the drain electrode 26C of the TFT 26. The pixel electrode 27 is made of a transparent electrode material such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide). The TFT 26 includes a semiconductor portion 26D in addition to the above-described gate electrode 26A, source electrode 26B, and drain electrode 26C. The semiconductor portion 26D is made of a semiconductor material and is connected to the source electrode 26B and the drain electrode 26C. When the TFT 26 is driven based on the scanning signal supplied to the gate wiring 24, the pixel electrode 27 is charged to a potential based on the image signal (data signal) supplied to the source wiring 25.

The cross-sectional structure of the display area AA of the liquid crystal panel 11 will be explained using FIG. 5. Note that in FIG. 5, the above-described gate wiring 24, source wiring 25, and TFT 26 are illustrated in a simplified manner as a "pixel circuit section (circuit section) 13." As shown in FIG. 5, in the display area AA of the counter substrate 20 constituting the liquid crystal panel 11, a large number of color filters 28 are provided at positions overlapping with each pixel electrode 27 provided on the array substrate 21. The color filter 28 is arranged so that three colors exhibiting red (R), green (G), and blue (B) are repeatedly arranged alternately along the X-axis direction, and they extend along the Y-axis direction. As a result, they are arranged in stripes as a whole. A light shielding portion (black matrix) 29 is provided in the display area AA of the counter substrate 20 in order to partition adjacent color filters 28 to prevent color mixture. The light shielding section 29 is also provided in the non-display area NAA (see FIG. 8). The light shielding portion 29 has a grid shape in the display area AA so as to overlap with the gate wiring 24 and the source wiring 25, but has a solid shape in the non-display area NAA. An overcoat film 30 is formed on the upper layer side of the color filter 28 and the light shielding part 29. The overcoat film 30 is provided in a generally solid shape over a range spanning the display area AA and the non-display area NAA on the counter substrate 20. The overcoat film 30 is made of, for example, an organic material such as acrylic resin (for example, PMMA, etc.), and functions to flatten the level difference that occurs in the layer below itself. The surface of the overcoat film 30 constitutes the first main surface 20A, which is the reference surface of the counter substrate 20. Note that an alignment film for aligning the liquid crystal included in the liquid crystal layer 22 is provided on the upper layer side of the overcoat film 30 (the innermost surface of the counter substrate 20).

In the display area AA of the counter substrate 20, as shown in FIG. 5, spacers 31 are provided that protrude from the first main surface 20A toward the array substrate 21. This spacer 31 can maintain the distance between the pair of substrates 20 and 21, that is, the cell gap (thickness of the liquid crystal layer 22). The spacer 31 has a tapered columnar shape. A plurality of spacers 31 are arranged at positions overlapping with intersections between gate wiring 24 and source wiring 25 provided on array substrate 21 . The spacer 31 may overlap some or all of the TFTs 26 provided on the array substrate 21. The spacer 31 includes a first spacer (main spacer) 31α and a second spacer (sub-spacer) 31β. The first spacer 31α has a protrusion dimension H1 from the first main surface 20A that is larger than a protrusion dimension H2 of the second spacer 31β from the first main surface 20A, and is always received by the inner surface of the array substrate 21. The second spacer 31β has a protrusion dimension H2 from the first main surface 20A that is smaller than a protrusion dimension H1 of the first spacer 31α from the first main surface 20A, and is not always received by the inner surface of the array substrate 21. However, when an external force acts on the counter substrate 20 or the array substrate 21 and the counter substrate 20 or the array substrate 21 is bent, the second spacer 31β is received by the inner surface of the array substrate 21. This allows the counter substrate 20 and the array substrate 21 to bend to a certain extent. In this way, the second spacers 31β are not always received by the inner surface of the array substrate 21, so damage caused to the inner surface of the array substrate 21 due to the spacers 31 is reduced. Thereby, display defects due to damage to the inner surface of the array substrate 21 are less likely to occur in the display area AA.

In the display area AA of the array substrate 21 constituting the liquid crystal panel 11, as shown in FIG. , an interlayer insulating film (second insulating film) 34 and a pixel electrode 27 are provided. Of these, the common electrode 33 is made of a transparent electrode material like the pixel electrode 27. The common electrode 33 has the same size as the display area AA as a whole. The common electrode 33 is arranged to overlap all the pixel electrodes 27 with an interlayer insulating film 34 in between. A common potential (reference potential) is supplied to the common electrode 33. Therefore, a potential difference may occur between the common electrode 33 and the pixel electrode 27 based on the potential charged in the pixel electrode 27. The electric field generated based on the potential difference between the common electrode 33 and the pixel electrode 27 includes a component along the main surface of the array substrate 21 (including a second main surface 21B described later) as well as a component along the main surface of the array substrate 21. A fringe electric field (oblique electric field) containing a component in the normal direction to the surface is included. Therefore, the display mode of the liquid crystal panel 11 according to the present embodiment is a so-called FFS (Fringe Field Switching) mode in which the alignment state of the liquid crystal included in the liquid crystal layer 22 is controlled using a fringe electric field. Note that an alignment film for aligning the liquid crystal included in the liquid crystal layer 22 is provided on the upper layer side of the pixel electrode 27 (the innermost surface of the array substrate 21).

The interlayer insulating film 34 is made of an inorganic material such as silicon nitride (SiN _x ) or silicon oxide (SiO ₂ ). The flattening film 32 is made of an organic material such as acrylic resin (for example, PMMA), and functions to flatten the level difference formed in the layer below itself. As shown in FIG. 5, the planarizing film 32 has a larger thickness than the interlayer insulating film 34 and the like made of an inorganic material. A plurality of contact holes 32A are provided in the flattening film 32 at positions overlapping with the plurality of pixel electrodes 27. The pixel electrode 27 and the drain electrode 26C (see FIG. 4) of the TFT 26 included in the pixel circuit section 13 are connected through the contact hole 32A. Note that openings 33A and 34A are provided in the common electrode 33 and the interlayer insulating film 34 at positions that overlap with each contact hole 32A, respectively. The opening 34A prevents a short circuit between the pixel electrode 27 and the common electrode 33.

As shown in FIG. 5, the planarizing film 32 has two thicknesses. The planarization film 32 includes a low portion (first thickness portion) and a high portion (second thickness portion) having a surface higher than the surface of the low portion. The lower portion included in the flattening film 32 has a smaller thickness than the higher portion. The film thickness is greater in the higher part than in the lower part. Note that FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional configuration of a lower portion of the planarization film 32. The surface of the lower portion of the planarization film 32 constitutes the second main surface 21B, which is the reference surface of the array substrate 21. A high portion of the planarization film 32 constitutes a bump 35 that protrudes from the second main surface 21B toward the counter substrate 20. The bump 35 is arranged at a position overlapping the spacer 31 provided on the counter substrate 20. That is, a plurality of bumps 35 are arranged at least at positions overlapping the intersections of the gate wiring 24 and the source wiring 25.

As shown in FIG. 5, the bumps 35 include a first bump 35α arranged to overlap with a first spacer 31α, and a second bump 35β arranged to overlap with a second spacer 31β. The protrusion dimension H3 of the first bump 35α from the second main surface 21B is equal to the protrusion dimension H4 of the second bump 35β from the second main surface 21B. The first bump 35α always receives the overlapping first spacer 31α. Note that two alignment films are interposed between the first bump 35α and the first spacer 31α that overlap each other. The sum of the protrusion dimension H1 of the first spacer 31α from the first main surface 20A, the protrusion dimension H3 of the first bump 35α from the second main surface 21B, and the film thickness of the two alignment films is the first It is equal to the distance D1 between the main surface 20A and the second main surface 21B in the Z-axis direction (the normal direction to each main surface 20A, 21B). The second bump 35β does not always receive the overlapping second spacer 31β. There is a gap between the alignment film provided on the counter substrate 20 and the alignment film provided on the array substrate 21, the portions overlapping with the second spacers 31β and the second bumps 35β. The sum of the protrusion dimension H2 of the second spacer 31β from the first main surface 20A, the protrusion dimension H4 of the second bump 35β from the second main surface 21B, and the film thickness of the two alignment films is the first It is smaller than the distance D1 in the Z-axis direction between the main surface 20A and the second main surface 21B.

The configuration of the non-display area NAA of the liquid crystal panel 11 will be explained using FIGS. 6 to 8. In addition, in FIGS. 6 and 7, the center line of the seal portion 23 is illustrated by a thin dashed line, and the forming ranges of a first convex portion 36, a second convex portion 37, and a concave portion 38, which will be described later, are each shaded differently. It is illustrated. Furthermore, in FIG. 8, illustration of the pixel electrode 27, common electrode 33, etc. is omitted in order to emphasize the spacer 31 and bump 35 in the display area AA.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the seal portion 23 disposed in the non-display area NAA of the liquid crystal panel 11 has a substantially regular dodecagonal annular shape when viewed from above. In other words, the planar shape of the seal portion 23 is similar to the outer shape of the liquid crystal panel 11. As shown in FIG. 8, the seal portion 23 includes a hardening material 23A that is hardened by application of at least one of light and heat, and a spacer material 23B that is dispersed and blended in the hardening material 23A. The hardening material 23A includes at least one of a photocurable resin material and a thermosetting resin material. When the curing material 23A includes a photocurable resin material, the photocurable resin material may be, for example, an ultraviolet curable resin material that is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet light. The spacer material 23B is made of, for example, glass fiber or silicone resin, and a fibrous spacer having a predetermined diameter or a particulate spacer having a predetermined diameter is used as the spacer material 23B in consideration of dispersibility into the hardening material 23A. It is preferable. By setting the diameter dimension of the spacer material 23B, it is possible to adjust the thickness of the seal portion 23. Note that when the counter substrate 20 is provided with a conductive part such as an electrode or wiring, it is also possible to use a spacer material 23B having conductivity in order to supply power to the conductive part.

Further, in the non-display area NAA of the array substrate 21, as shown in FIG. 8, a peripheral circuit section 14 is provided. The peripheral circuit section 14 includes a circuit for supplying various signals to the pixel circuit section 13 (for example, a gate driver circuit that supplies a scanning signal to the gate wiring 24, and an SSD (Source Shared Driving circuit) that supplies an image signal to the source wiring 25). ) circuits, etc.) are included. The peripheral circuit section 14 is monolithically formed on the array substrate 21 using each metal film, semiconductor film, etc. that constitute the pixel circuit section 13 as a base.

Now, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the non-display area NAA of the counter substrate 20 according to the present embodiment is provided with a first convex portion 36 that protrudes from the first main surface 20A toward the array substrate 21. ing. The non-display area NAA of the array substrate 21 is provided with a second convex portion 37 that protrudes from the second main surface 21B toward the counter substrate 20. The first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 are arranged at the boundary between the liquid crystal layer 22 and the seal portion 23, and have a gap C between them. Hereinafter, the configurations of the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 will be explained in detail.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the first convex portion 36 has an annular shape extending over the entire circumference of the counter substrate 20. As shown in FIGS. The second convex portion 37 has an annular shape extending over the entire circumference of the array substrate 21 . Both the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 have a generally regular dodecagonal annular shape when viewed from above. In other words, the planar shapes of the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 are similar to the outer shape of the liquid crystal panel 11 . The first convex portion 36 is located on the outer circumferential side with respect to the second convex portion 37, and surrounds the second convex portion 37 from the outer circumferential side over the entire circumference. As shown in FIG. 8, the first convex portion 36 is disposed in the area where the seal portion 23 is formed, whereas the second convex portion 37 is disposed in the area where the liquid crystal layer 22 is formed. More specifically, the first convex portion 36 is disposed at the innermost position within the forming range of the seal portion 23, and surrounds the liquid crystal layer 22 from the outer circumferential side over the entire circumference. The second convex portion 37 is disposed at the outermost position of the formation range of the liquid crystal layer 22, and is arranged adjacent to the first convex portion 36 on the inner circumferential side. In this way, the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 are arranged offset toward the inner circumferential side and the outer circumferential side with respect to the radial direction of the liquid crystal panel 11 (radial direction with reference to the center of the display area AA). Ru. Thereby, the gap C between the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 opens obliquely to each main surface 20A, 21B.

As shown in FIG. 8, the first convex portion 36 has a tapered columnar cross-sectional shape, and is similar to the cross-sectional shape of the spacer 31. The first protrusion 36 has a protrusion dimension H5 from the first main surface 20A that is larger than a protrusion dimension H6 of the second protrusion 37 from the second main surface 21B. The sum of the protrusion dimension H5 of the first protrusion 36 and the protrusion dimension H6 of the second protrusion 37 is smaller than the distance D1 between the first main surface 20A and the second main surface 21B. In this way, the gap C formed between the first convex portion 36 disposed in the forming range of the seal portion 23 and the second convex portion 37 disposed in the forming range of the liquid crystal layer 22 is made sufficient. Secured. The protrusion dimension H5 of the first convex portion 36 is the same as the protrusion dimension H2 of the second spacer 31β included in the spacer 31 from the first main surface 20A. The first convex portion 36 is made of the same material as the second spacer 31β, and is arranged in the same layer on the counter substrate 20. In this way, when manufacturing the counter substrate 20, the first convex portion 36 can be provided in the step of providing the second spacer 31β included in the spacer 31. This eliminates the need for a dedicated process for providing the first convex portion 36, making it easier to manufacture the counter substrate 20. Further, since the protrusion dimension H5 of the first convex portion 36 from the first major surface 20A is smaller than the protrusion dimension H1 of the first spacer 31α from the first major surface 20A, the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 can be sufficiently secured.

As shown in FIG. 8, the second convex portion 37 has a protrusion dimension H6 from the second main surface 21B that is the same as the protrusion dimensions H3 and H4 of the bump 35 from the second main surface 21B. The second convex portion 37 is made of the same material as the bump 35, that is, a part of the planarization film 32, and is arranged in the same layer on the array substrate 21. The second convex portion 37 is formed by a higher portion of the planarization film 32. In this way, when manufacturing the array substrate 21, the second convex portion 37 can be provided in the process of patterning the planarization film 32 to provide the bumps 35. This eliminates the need for a dedicated process for providing the second convex portion 37, making it easier to manufacture the array substrate 21.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, in the non-display area NAA of the array substrate 21, in addition to the second convex portion 37 described above, a concave portion 38 recessed from the second main surface 21B is provided. The first convex portion 36 is provided in the area where the seal portion 23 is formed. The spacer material 23B can be inserted into the recess 38, and the spacer material 23B can be positioned in the radial direction of the liquid crystal panel 11.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the recess 38 has an annular shape extending over the entire circumference of the array substrate 21, similarly to the first protrusion 36. Like the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37, the concave portion 38 has a generally regular dodecagonal annular shape when viewed from above. In other words, the planar shape of the recess 38 is similar to the outer shape of the liquid crystal panel 11, as are the planar shapes of the first protrusion 36 and the second protrusion 37. The recess 38 is located on the outer circumference side of the first protrusion 36 and surrounds the first protrusion 36 all around from the outer circumference. As shown in FIG. 8, the width of the recess 38 is larger than the diameter (outer shape) of the spacer material 23B. This allows the spacer material 23B to easily enter into the recess 38. The spacer material 23B is positioned in the radial direction of the liquid crystal panel 11 by the edge portions (both step portions) present at the inner and outer peripheral ends of the recess 38 interfering with the spacer material 23B that has entered the recess 38. be done. Like the first convex portion 36, the concave portion 38 is arranged adjacent to the first convex portion 36 on the outer circumferential side in the formation range of the seal portion 23. The first convex portion 36 is arranged closer to the liquid crystal layer 22 than the concave portion 38 in the formation range of the seal portion 23 . In this way, the first convex portion 36 and the concave portion 38 are arranged offset toward the inner circumferential side and the outer circumferential side in the radial direction of the liquid crystal panel 11 in the formation range of the seal portion 23 . Further, the first convex portion 36 is arranged to be sandwiched between the second convex portion 37 and the concave portion 38 in the radial direction of the liquid crystal panel 11.

As shown in FIG. 8, the recess 38 is provided by opening the planarization film 32 provided on the array substrate 21. Specifically, the recessed portion 38 is provided by opening the lower portion of the flattening film 32, so that it is recessed from the second main surface 21B, which is the surface of the lower portion. In this way, when manufacturing the array substrate 21, in the step of patterning the flattening film 32 to open and provide the contact holes 32A in the flattening film 32, it is possible to open and provide the recesses 38 in the flattening film 32. Can be done. This eliminates the need for a dedicated process for providing the recesses 38, making it easier to manufacture the array substrate 21.

The present embodiment has the above-described structure, and a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal panel 11 will be described next. The liquid crystal panel 11 is manufactured by creating a compound liquid crystal panel 11M in which a plurality of liquid crystal panels 11 are connected, and by dividing the compound liquid crystal panel 11M. In such a manufacturing method, the coupled liquid crystal panel 11M includes a mother counter substrate (first mother substrate) 20M including a plurality of counter substrates 20 connected in series, and a mother counter substrate 20M including a plurality of array substrates 21 in series, as shown in FIG. It is formed by bonding the array substrate (second mother substrate) 21M. Further, the coupled liquid crystal panel 11M has a dummy seal portion 39 (see FIG. 11). The dummy seal portion 39 may be arranged at the outer peripheral end of the coupled liquid crystal panel 11M and may be provided so as to surround all the liquid crystal panels 11 at once; They may be arranged with a partition between them. Note that adjacent liquid crystal panels 11 in the coupled liquid crystal panel 11M may be arranged so as to be lined up with a predetermined interval, or may be arranged so as to be lined up without any interval.

When manufacturing the coupled liquid crystal panel 11M, an ODF (One Drop Fill) method is used. According to the ODF method, as shown in FIG. 9, a hardening material 23A and a spacer material 23B, which are the materials of the seal portion 23, are applied to either the mother counter substrate 20M or the mother array substrate 21M, and the mother counter substrate 20M or the mother array substrate 21M is Liquid crystal LC, which is the material of the liquid crystal layer 22, is dropped onto one of the array substrates 21M. These mother counter substrate 20M and mother array substrate 21M are housed in a chamber, and the mother counter substrate 20M and mother array substrate 21M are bonded together while the chamber is in a vacuum environment. Note that when applying the material for the seal portion 23 (curing material 23A and spacer material 23B), the material 39A for the dummy seal portion 39 is applied to either the mother counter substrate 20M or the mother array substrate 21M. The material 39A of the dummy seal portion 39 is the same as or similar to the material of the seal portion 23.

Both mother substrates 20M and 21M are pressurized when bonded together. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, in the formation range of the liquid crystal panel 11, the liquid crystal LC is spread out from the position where it was dropped, and the uncured hardening material 23A and the spacer material 23B are spread out from the positions where they were applied. Further, in the range between adjacent liquid crystal panels 11 of the coupled liquid crystal panel 11M, the material 39A of the dummy seal portion 39 is spread from the applied position. In addition, in FIG. 10, arrows indicate directions in which the liquid crystal LC, the hardening material 23A, the spacer material 23B, and the material 39A spread. In this process, the spacer material 23B is moved along with the flow of the hardening material 23A, and when a part of the spacer material 23B reaches the vicinity of the boundary between the liquid crystal layer 22 and the seal portion 23, it enters the recess 38 recessed from the second main surface 21B. . The spacer material 23B that has entered the recess 38 is positioned in the radial direction of the liquid crystal panel 11 by interfering with both edges of the recess 38. This spacer material 23B is restricted from moving toward the inner peripheral side in the radial direction of the liquid crystal panel 11, that is, toward the liquid crystal layer 22 side, by the first convex portion 36 protruding from the first main surface 20A.

As a result of the above, in addition to the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37, the spacer material 23B that has entered the concave portion 38 is present at the boundary between the liquid crystal layer 22 and the seal portion 23. Therefore, the liquid crystal LC and the uncured hardening material 23A spread as the bonding progresses, and the liquid crystal LC and the uncured hardening material 23A spread around the first convex part 36, the second convex part 37, and the spacer material 23B near the boundary between the liquid crystal layer 22 and the sealing part 23. This makes it difficult to flow and limits the mutual contact area to be small. This makes it difficult to insert the liquid crystal LC into the uncured hardening material 23A. If it becomes difficult to insert the liquid crystal LC into the hardening material 23A, it becomes difficult for the liquid crystal LC to leak to the outside.

Next, the reason why it is difficult to insert the liquid crystal LC in this embodiment will be explained in detail. The flow of the liquid crystal LC and the hardening material 23A between the pair of mother substrates 20M and 21M is similar to a fluid flow between parallel plates, that is, a planar Poiseuille flow. Therefore, the amount of insertion of the liquid crystal LC into the hardening material 23A can be expressed by the following equation (1). "I" included in formula (1) is the insertion amount (insertion distance) of the liquid crystal LC. "b" included in formula (1) is a seal gap. This "seal gap" refers to the thickness of the portion where the liquid crystal LC and the hardening material 23A are in contact, and is indicated by the symbol b in FIG. 11. "η" included in formula (1) is the viscosity of the hardening material 23A. “dP” included in equation (1) is the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the seal portion 23. “dx” included in equation (1) is the width of the seal portion 23. "t" included in equation (1) is time.

I = ( ^b2 /12η) · (dP/dx) · t (1)

In this embodiment, the contact area between the liquid crystal LC and the hardening material 23A is limited by the spacer material 23B that has entered the first convex portion 36, the second convex portion 37, and the concave portion 38. From this, the seal gap b included in the above equation (1) is smaller than the distance D1 between the first main surface 20A and the second main surface 21B. Therefore, in this embodiment, the insertion amount I of the liquid crystal LC is smaller than if the seal gap b were set to the same value as the distance D1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the spacer material 23B that has entered the first convex portion 36, the second convex portion 37, and the concave portion 38 makes it difficult for the hardening material 23A to flow. In particular, in the present embodiment, the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 are arranged offset toward the inner circumferential side and the outer circumferential side in the radial direction of the liquid crystal panel 11. Since the gap C between the two convex portions 37 opens obliquely to each main surface 20A, 21B, the fluidity of the hardening material 23A is further restricted. From this, the viscosity η of the hardening material 23A included in the above formula (1) becomes higher than if the first convex portion 36, the second convex portion 37, and the spacer material 23B were not present. Therefore, in this embodiment, the insertion amount I of the liquid crystal LC becomes smaller. When we actually conducted an experiment to create a liquid crystal panel 11 having the same configuration as this embodiment, we found that when the time t was 120 seconds, no insertion of the liquid crystal LC occurred. In addition, when we conducted an experiment to create a liquid crystal panel 11 having the same configuration as this embodiment except that the seal portion 23 does not include the spacer material 23B, we found that when the time t was 120 seconds, the insertion of the liquid crystal LC The result was that the amount I was suppressed to 0.1 mm or less.

According to this embodiment, there is no need to set a thick cell area in which a cell gap larger than the cell gap of the display area is formed, unlike in the conventional case, so the amount of liquid crystal LC used can be reduced compared to the conventional case. This avoids an increase in the spreading speed of the liquid crystal LC due to bonding, as in the conventional case, so that the insertion phenomenon of the liquid crystal LC can be sufficiently suppressed. Further, since there is a gap C between the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37, the liquid crystal LC and the material of the seal portion 23 are allowed to come and go through the gap C. Therefore, for example, if the amount of liquid crystal LC to be dropped is insufficient, the curing material 23A is allowed to enter the space on the liquid crystal layer 22 side through the gap C. It is possible to avoid the occurrence of a portion where neither the liquid crystal LC nor the hardening material 23A is present. As a result, bubbles are less likely to form in the liquid crystal layer 22 than if the first convex portion and the second convex portion were in contact with each other and the liquid crystal LC and the material of the seal portion 23 could not come and go. Moreover, the sum of the protrusion dimension H5 of the first protrusion 36 from the first main surface 20A and the protrusion dimension H6 of the second protrusion 37 from the second main surface 21B is the same as that of the first main surface 20A and the second protrusion By making the distance D1 smaller than the distance D1 from the main surface 21B, it is possible to secure a wider gap C between the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37. This makes it more difficult for bubbles to form in the liquid crystal layer 22.

After the mother substrates 20M and 21M are bonded together as described above, the hardening material 23A of the seal portion 23 is irradiated with light (ultraviolet rays, etc.) to temporarily harden the hardening material 23A. Thereafter, the chamber, which was in a vacuum environment, is opened to an atmospheric pressure environment. Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the coupled liquid crystal panel 11M is uniformly pressed due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the seal portion 23, and the liquid crystal layer 22 has a predetermined thickness (cell gap). Thereafter, the curing material 23A is fully cured by applying heat, for example, to the curing material 23A. Then, the coupled liquid crystal panel 11M is divided and a plurality of liquid crystal panels 11 are taken out.

As explained above, the liquid crystal panel 11 of this embodiment has the counter substrate (first substrate) 20 having the first main surface 20A, and the second main surface 21B opposite to the first main surface 20A of the counter substrate 20. An array substrate (second substrate) 21, a liquid crystal layer 22 sandwiched between the first main surface 20A of the counter substrate 20 and the second main surface 21B of the array substrate 21, and the first main surface 20A of the counter substrate 20. A seal portion 23 that is sandwiched between the second main surface 21B of the array substrate 21 and surrounds the liquid crystal layer 22; and a first convex portion 36 that protrudes toward the array substrate 21 from the first main surface 20A of the counter substrate 20. , a second convex portion 37 protruding from the second main surface 21B of the array substrate 21 toward the counter substrate 20, and the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 are connected to the liquid crystal layer 22 and the seal portion 23. , with a gap C between them.

When manufacturing the liquid crystal panel 11 by, for example, the ODF (One Drop Fill) method, the material for the seal portion 23 is applied to either the counter substrate 20 or the array substrate 21, and then Both substrates 20 and 21 are bonded together with liquid crystal LC, which is the material of the liquid crystal layer 22, being dropped onto one of them. Upon bonding, the uncured material of the seal portion 23 and the liquid crystal LC spread between the first main surface 20A and the second main surface 21B, respectively. At this time, the material of the seal part 23 and the liquid crystal LC become difficult to flow near the boundary between the liquid crystal layer 22 and the seal part 23 due to the first convex part 36 and the second convex part 37, and the mutual contact area becomes small. so limited. This makes it difficult for the liquid crystal LC to be inserted into the uncured material of the seal portion 23, thereby making it difficult for the liquid crystal LC to leak to the outside. Since there is no need to set a thick cell area in which a cell gap larger than the cell gap of the display area is formed as in the conventional case, the amount of liquid crystal LC used can be reduced compared to the conventional case. This prevents the spreading speed of the liquid crystal LC from increasing due to bonding, as in the conventional case, and therefore it is possible to sufficiently suppress the insertion phenomenon of the liquid crystal LC. Further, since there is a gap C between the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37, the liquid crystal LC and the material of the seal portion 23 are allowed to come and go through the gap C. As a result, bubbles are less likely to form in the liquid crystal layer 22 than if the first convex portion and the second convex portion were in contact with each other and the liquid crystal LC and the material of the seal portion 23 could not come and go.

The sealing portion 23 also includes a recessed portion 38 recessed from the second main surface 21B of the array substrate 21, and the sealing portion 23 includes a hardening material 23A that is hardened by applying at least one of light and heat, and a spacer material 23B that is dispersed and blended in the hardening material 23A. The recessed portion 38 is arranged at a position adjacent to at least one of the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 in the formation range of the seal portion 23 . The uncured hardened material 23A and spacer material 23B, which are the materials of the seal portion 23, flow as they are bonded together. The spacer material 23B is positioned by entering the recess 38. The spacer material 23B positioned by the concave portion 38 is arranged adjacent to at least one of the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37. The hardening material 23A and the liquid crystal LC that spread as they are bonded are made difficult to flow by at least one of the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 and the spacer material 23B, and are restricted so that the mutual contact area becomes small. Ru. This makes it more difficult to insert the liquid crystal LC into the hardening material 23A.

Further, the first convex portion 36 is arranged closer to the liquid crystal layer 22 than the concave portion 38 in the formation range of the seal portion 23 . The spacer material 23B that flows during bonding is positioned by a recess 38 recessed from the second main surface 21B of the array substrate 21, and is also positioned by a first protrusion 36 protruding from the first main surface 20A of the counter substrate 20. be done. In this way, since the spacer material 23B can be positioned from both sides by the first convex portion 36 and the concave portion 38, it becomes even more difficult to insert the liquid crystal LC into the hardening material 23A.

Further, the second convex portion 37 is arranged at a position adjacent to the first convex portion 36 in the formation range of the liquid crystal layer 22 . In this way, the first convex portion 36 disposed in the forming range of the seal portion 23 and the second convex portion 37 disposed in the forming range of the liquid crystal layer 22 improve the fluidity of the hardening material 23A and the liquid crystal LC. can be more restricted. This makes it even more difficult to insert the liquid crystal LC into the hardening material 23A.

Further, the sum of the protrusion dimension H5 of the first protrusion 36 from the first main surface 20A and the protrusion dimension H6 of the second protrusion 37 from the second main surface 21B is the sum of the protrusion dimension H5 of the first protrusion 36 from the first main surface 20A It is smaller than the distance D1 from the main surface 21B. In this way, the gap C formed between the first convex portion 36 disposed in the forming range of the seal portion 23 and the second convex portion 37 disposed in the forming range of the liquid crystal layer 22 can be made sufficiently large. can be secured. This makes it more difficult for bubbles to form in the liquid crystal layer 22.

Further, the array substrate 21 includes a planarization film (insulating film) 32 whose surface constitutes the second main surface 21B, a pixel electrode (electrode) 27 disposed on the upper layer side of the planarization film 32, and a planarization film A pixel circuit section (circuit section) 13 disposed on the lower layer side of the planarization film 32 is provided, and a contact hole 32A is opened and provided in a position of the planarization film 32 overlapping with the pixel electrode 27, and a concave portion 38 is provided by opening the planarization film 32. The pixel electrode 27 is connected to the pixel circuit section 13 through the contact hole 32A of the planarization film 32. In manufacturing the array substrate 21, in the step of opening and providing the contact holes 32A in the planarizing film 32, the planarizing film 32 can be opened to provide the recesses 38. This eliminates the need for a dedicated process for providing the recesses 38, making it easier to manufacture the array substrate 21.

Further, the counter substrate 20 is provided with a spacer 31 that protrudes from the first main surface 20A toward the array substrate 21 in the formation range of the liquid crystal layer 22, and the first convex portion 36 protrudes from the first main surface 20A. The dimension H5 is the same as the protrusion dimension H2 of the second spacer 31β included in the spacer 31 from the first main surface 20A. When manufacturing the counter substrate 20, the first convex portion 36 can be provided in the step of providing the spacer 31. This eliminates the need for a dedicated process for providing the first convex portion 36, making it easier to manufacture the counter substrate 20.

Further, the array substrate 21 is provided with bumps 35 that protrude from the second main surface 21B toward the counter substrate 20 in the formation range of the liquid crystal layer 22 and are arranged to overlap with the spacers 31. The bump 35 includes a first bump 35α overlapping with the first spacer 31α and a second bump 35β overlapping with the second spacer 31β, The first spacer 31α is received by the first bump 35α, and the second spacer 31β has a protrusion dimension H2 from the first main surface 20A that is smaller than a protrusion dimension H1 of the first spacer 31α from the first main surface 20A. , the first convex portion 36 has a protrusion dimension H5 from the first main surface 20A that is the same as a protrusion dimension H2 from the first main surface 20A of the second spacer 31β. Since the first spacer 31α is received by the first bump 35α, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 22 can be maintained. Since the protrusion dimension H2 of the second spacer 31β from the first main surface 20A is smaller than the protrusion dimension H1 of the first spacer 31α from the first main surface 20A, the second spacer 31β can be received by the second bump 35β. I can't do it. Therefore, when an external force acts on either the opposing substrate 20 or the array substrate 21, either the opposing substrate 20 or the array substrate 21 is allowed to bend until the second spacer 31β is received by the second bump 35β. be done. When manufacturing the counter substrate 20, the first convex portion 36 can be provided in the step of providing the second spacer 31β. This eliminates the need for a dedicated process for providing the first convex portion 36, making it easier to manufacture the counter substrate 20. Since the protrusion dimension H5 of the first convex portion 36 from the first principal surface 20A is smaller than the protrusion dimension H1 of the first spacer 31α from the first principal surface 20A, the first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37 are A sufficient gap C can be secured between the two.

Further, the counter substrate 20 is provided with a spacer 31 that protrudes from the first main surface 20A toward the array substrate 21 in the area where the liquid crystal layer 22 is formed. A bump 35 is provided that protrudes from the main surface 21B toward the counter substrate 20 and is arranged to overlap with the spacer 31. The protrusion dimensions H3 and H4 from the two main surfaces 21B are the same. When manufacturing the array substrate 21, the second convex portion 37 can be provided in the step of providing the bumps 35. This eliminates the need for a dedicated process for providing the second convex portion 37, making it easier to manufacture the array substrate 21.

Further, the first convex portion 36 has an annular shape extending over the entire circumference of the counter substrate 20 , and the second convex portion 37 has an annular shape extending over the entire circumference of the array substrate 21 . The first convex portion 36 and the second convex portion 37, both of which are annular, restrict the material of the seal portion 23 and the fluidity of the liquid crystal LC over the entire circumference of the liquid crystal layer 22 and the seal portion 23, and the material of the seal portion 23 The contact area between the liquid crystal LC and the liquid crystal LC becomes smaller. This makes it more difficult for the liquid crystal LC to be inserted into the material of the seal portion 23 in an uncured state.

Further, the liquid crystal display device 10 according to the present embodiment includes the liquid crystal panel 11 described above, and a backlight device (illumination device) 12 arranged to face the liquid crystal panel 11 on the back side. According to such a liquid crystal display device 10, an image can be displayed on the liquid crystal panel 11 using the light emitted from the backlight device 12. Since the phenomenon in which the liquid crystal LC is inserted into the seal portion 23 in the liquid crystal panel 11 is sufficiently suppressed, the display quality of images displayed on the liquid crystal panel 11 is improved.

<Embodiment 2>
Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 14. Embodiment 2 shows a case where the outer shape of the liquid crystal panel 111 is changed. Note that redundant explanations regarding the structure, operation, and effects similar to those of the first embodiment described above will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 12, the liquid crystal panel 111 according to this embodiment has a substantially square outer shape when viewed from above. The display area AA of the liquid crystal panel 111 has a substantially square outer shape when viewed from above. In other words, the planar shape of the display area AA is similar to the outer shape of the liquid crystal panel 111.

The configuration of the non-display area NAA of the liquid crystal panel 111 will be explained using FIGS. 13 and 14. In addition, in FIGS. 13 and 14, the center line of the seal portion 123 is illustrated with a thin dashed line, and the formation ranges of the first convex portion 136, the second convex portion 137, and the concave portion 138 are shown with different hatching. It shows. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the seal portion 123 has a substantially square annular shape when viewed from above. In other words, the planar shape of the seal portion 123 is similar to the outer shape of the liquid crystal panel 111. The first convex portion 136 provided on the counter substrate 120 has a substantially square annular shape when viewed from above. In other words, the planar shape of the first convex portion 136 is similar to the outer shape of the liquid crystal panel 111. The second convex portion 137 and concave portion 138 provided on the array substrate 121 have a substantially square annular shape when viewed from above. In other words, the planar shapes of the second convex portion 137 and the concave portion 138 are similar to the outer shape of the liquid crystal panel 111. Even in the liquid crystal panel 111 configured as described above, the same functions and effects as those of the first embodiment described above can be obtained.

<Other embodiments>
The technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and includes, for example, the following embodiments within its technical scope.

(1) Based on the experimental results described in Embodiment 1, even if the seal portions 23, 123 do not include the spacer material 23B, the effect of sufficiently suppressing insertion of the liquid crystal LC can be obtained. Since the seal portions 23, 123 do not include the spacer material 23B, it is also possible to omit the recesses 38, 138 of the array substrates 21, 121.

(2) The sum of the protrusion dimension of the first convex portions 36, 136 from the first principal surface 20A and the protrusion dimension of the second convex portions 37, 137 from the second principal surface 21B is the first principal surface 20A. and the second principal surface 21B may coincide with the distance D1. Even with such a configuration, if the first convex portions 36, 136 and the second convex portions 37, 137 are arranged to be offset toward the inner circumferential side and the outer circumferential side in the radial direction of the liquid crystal panel 11, 111, It is possible to secure a gap C between the first convex portion 36, 136 and the second convex portion 37, 137.

(3) The first convex portions 36, 136 and the second convex portions 37, 137 may be arranged to overlap each other.

(4) The first convex portions 36, 136 may be arranged in the formation range of the liquid crystal layer 22, and the second convex portions 37, 137 may be arranged in the formation range of the seal portions 23, 123. In that case, the second convex portions 37, 137 are sandwiched between the first convex portions 36, 136 and the concave portions 38, 138 in the radial direction of the liquid crystal panel 11, 111.

(5) The protrusion dimension of the first convex portions 36, 136 from the first main surface 20A may be smaller than the protrusion dimension H2 of the second spacer 31β from the first main surface 20A, or conversely may be larger. . Further, the protrusion dimension of the first convex portions 36, 136 from the first main surface 20A may be the same as the protrusion dimension H1 of the first spacer 31α from the first main surface 20A.

(6) The protrusion dimensions of the second convex portions 37, 137 from the second main surface 21B may be smaller than the protrusion dimensions H3, H4 of each bump 35α, 35β from the second main surface 21B, or conversely, the protrusion dimensions may be larger. You can.

(7) The size relationship between the protruding dimensions of the first convex portions 36, 136 from the first principal surface 20A and the protruding dimensions of the second convex portions 37, 137 from the second principal surface 21B is such that the former is larger than the latter. may also be small, or the former and the latter may be the same.

(8) At least one of the first protrusions 36, 136, the second protrusions 37, 137, and the recesses 38, 138 may have an annular planar shape with ends.

(9) The first convex portion 36, 136 may be divided into a plurality of parts in the circumferential direction of the counter substrate 20, 120.

(10) At least one of the second protrusions 37, 137 and the recesses 38, 138 may be divided into a plurality of parts in the circumferential direction of the array substrate 21, 121.

(11) The first convex portions 36, 136 can be made of the same material as the color filters 28 provided on the counter substrates 20, 120. In that case, the spacer 31 can also be made of the same material as the color filter 28.

(12) The corners at the outer peripheral ends of the liquid crystal panels 11 and 111 may have a rounded shape when viewed from above. Accordingly, each corner at the outer peripheral end of the seal portions 23, 123, the first protrusions 36, 136, the second protrusions 37, 137, and the recesses 38, 138 has a rounded shape when viewed from above. There may be.

(13) The seal portions 23 and 123, the first convex portions 36 and 136, the second convex portions 37 and 137, and the concave portions 38 and 138 may have non-similar external shapes to the liquid crystal panels 11 and 111. For example, while the outer shape of the liquid crystal panels 11, 111 is a regular polygon, the seal portions 23, 123, the first protrusions 36, 136, the second protrusions 37, 137, and the recesses 38, 138 are circular. You can.

(14) The planar shapes of the liquid crystal panels 11 and 111 can be changed as appropriate other than those shown in the drawings. The planar shape of the liquid crystal panels 11 and 111 is, for example, circular, elliptical, rectangular, regular hexagonal, regular octagonal, regular decagonal, regular 14 square, regular hexagonal, non-regular polygon, etc. But that's fine.

(15) The display mode of the liquid crystal panels 11 and 111 may be VA (Vertical Alignment) mode, TN mode (Twisted Nematic), IPS (In-Plane-Switching) mode, or the like. Depending on the display mode, the common electrode 33 of the array substrates 21 and 121 may be omitted and a counter electrode may be provided on the counter substrates 20 and 120.

(16) The liquid crystal panels 11 and 111 may be of a reflective type or a semi-transmissive type instead of a transmissive type. When the liquid crystal panels 11 and 111 are of a reflective type, the backlight device 12 can be omitted.

(17) In the counter substrates 20 and 120, the light shielding portion 29 may not be provided only in the display area AA. Even in that case, the gate wiring 24, source wiring 25, etc. provided in the display area AA of the array substrates 21, 121 block light that attempts to travel between the pixels, thereby preventing color mixing between the pixels.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Liquid crystal display device, 11, 111... Liquid crystal panel, 12... Backlight device (illumination device), 13... Pixel circuit part (circuit part), 20, 120... Counter substrate (first board), 20A... First main surface, 21, 121... array substrate (second substrate), 21B... second main surface, 22... liquid crystal layer, 23, 123... seal portion, 23A... curing material, 23B... spacer material, 27... pixel electrode (electrode) , 31... Spacer, 31α... First spacer, 31β... Second spacer, 32... Flattening film (insulating film), 32A... Contact hole, 35... Bump, 35α... First bump, 35β... Second bump, 36, 136...First convex part, 37,137...Second convex part, 38,138...Concave part, C...Gap

Claims (11)

a first substrate having a first main surface;
a second substrate having a second main surface opposite to the first main surface of the first substrate;
a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first main surface of the first substrate and the second main surface of the second substrate;
a seal portion that is sandwiched between the first main surface of the first substrate and the second main surface of the second substrate and surrounds the liquid crystal layer;
a first convex portion protruding from the first main surface of the first substrate toward the second substrate;
a second convex portion protruding from the second main surface of the second substrate toward the first substrate;
The first convex portion and the second convex portion are arranged at the boundary between the liquid crystal layer and the seal portion, and have a gap therebetween in the liquid crystal panel. a recessed portion recessed from the second main surface of the second substrate;
The sealing portion includes a hardening material that is hardened by applying at least one of light and heat, and a spacer material that is dispersed in the hardening material,
2. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the concave portion is located adjacent to at least one of the first convex portion and the second convex portion in the formation range of the seal portion. 3. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 2, wherein the first convex portion is arranged closer to the liquid crystal layer than the concave portion in a forming range of the seal portion. 4. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 3, wherein the second convex portion is located adjacent to the first convex portion in the formation range of the liquid crystal layer. The sum of the protrusion dimension of the first protrusion from the first main surface and the protrusion dimension of the second protrusion from the second main surface is the sum of the protrusion dimension of the first protrusion from the first main surface and the second main surface. 5. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 4, wherein the distance is smaller than the distance between the liquid crystal panels. The second substrate is provided with an insulating film whose surface constitutes the second main surface, an electrode disposed on the upper layer side of the insulating film, and a circuit section disposed on the lower layer side of the insulating film. is,
A contact hole is provided in the insulating film at a position overlapping with the electrode, and
The liquid crystal panel according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the recess is provided by opening the insulating film. The first substrate is provided with a spacer that protrudes from the first main surface toward the second substrate in the formation range of the liquid crystal layer,
The first convex portion has a protrusion dimension from the first main surface that is the same as a protrusion dimension from the first main surface of the spacer, according to any one of claims 1 to 5. LCD panel. The second substrate is provided with a bump that protrudes from the second main surface toward the first substrate in the formation range of the liquid crystal layer and is arranged to overlap with the spacer,
The spacer includes a first spacer and a second spacer,
The bumps include a first bump that overlaps with the first spacer, and a second bump that overlaps with the second spacer,
the first spacer is received by the first bump;
The second spacer has a protrusion dimension from the first main surface that is smaller than a protrusion dimension of the first spacer from the first main surface,
8. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 7, wherein a protrusion dimension of the first convex portion from the first main surface is the same as a protrusion dimension of the second spacer from the first main surface. The first substrate is provided with a spacer that protrudes from the first main surface toward the second substrate in the formation range of the liquid crystal layer,
The second substrate is provided with a bump that protrudes from the second main surface toward the first substrate in the formation range of the liquid crystal layer and is arranged to overlap with the spacer,
The second convex portion has a protrusion dimension from the second main surface that is the same as a protrusion dimension from the second main surface of the bump, according to any one of claims 1 to 5. LCD panel. The first convex portion has an annular shape extending over the entire circumference of the first substrate,
The liquid crystal panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second convex portion has an annular shape extending over the entire circumference of the second substrate. The liquid crystal panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A liquid crystal display device comprising: a lighting device disposed opposite to the liquid crystal panel on the back side.

Images