BACKGROUND

1. Field of Disclosure

The present disclosure of invention relates to a coating device, a method of manufacturing a display substrate using the coating device, and a display substrate manufactured using the coating device and the method of using the coating device.

More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a coating device for manufacturing a liquid crystal display apparatus, a method of manufacturing a display substrate using the coating device, and the display substrate manufactured using the coating device.

2. Description of Related Technology

Recently, display devices having lighter weight and smaller size than conventional cathode ray tubes (CRT) display have gained favor in the display apparatus industry. In particular, the liquid display apparatus or “LCD” has been highly regarded due to its relatively small size, light weight and low-power-consumption as compared to that of other display technologies.

Generally, the liquid crystal display apparatus applies a voltage to a specific and optically significant molecular arrangement configured to change the molecular arrangement. The liquid crystal display apparatus displays an image using changes of an optical property (for example, birefringence, rotatory polarization, dichroism and light scattering) of a liquid crystal cell according to the changes of the molecular arrangement.

The liquid crystal display apparatus typically includes a backlight assembly, a light guiding plate and a display panel stacked one on the other in the recited order. During finishing of manufacture, a side surface (a.k.a. sidewall) of the display panel may be coated with an ink or other protective and/or coloring material for example in a manual manner by a worker's hand alone, or with aid of a paint-blocking tape. More specifically, the ink or other protective and/or coloring material may be added onto the side surface of the display panel so as to prevent undesired light leakage through the side surface where the light originates from the backlighting unit and is intended to be controllably projected through a top major surface of the display panel. Deviations in workmanship may occur due to the manual approach and may produce defective products having light leakage problems through a side boundary of the display panel.

It is to be understood that this background of the technology section is intended to provide useful background for understanding the here disclosed technology and as such, the technology background section may include ideas, concepts or recognitions that were not part of what was known or appreciated by those skilled in the pertinent art prior to corresponding invention dates of subject matter disclosed herein.

SUMMARY

A workpiece coating device is configured in accordance with the present disclosure to uniformly form a thin film on at least one sidewall of a supplied and predetermined workpiece by spraying a light blocking and/or light reflecting ink.

One or more exemplary embodiments of the disclosure provide a method of manufacturing a display substrate using the coating device.

One or more exemplary embodiments of the disclosure provide a display substrate manufactured using the coating device.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a coating device includes an upper stage, a lower stage and a spraying part. The upper stage masks an upper surface of a display panel. The lower stage masks a lower surface of the display panel. The spraying part sprays ink to a side surface of the display panel. The side surface of the display panel is exposed between the upper stage and the lower stage.

In an exemplary embodiment, the upper stage may include a lower surface having a shape substantially the same as an upper surface of the display panel. The lower stage may include an upper surface having a shape substantially the same as a lower surface of the display panel.

In an exemplary embodiment, the upper stage may further include an upper contacting portion disposed on a boundary of the lower surface of the upper stage. The upper contacting portion may contact to a boundary of the upper surface of the display panel.

In an exemplary embodiment, the lower stage may include a protrusion disposed on a boundary of the upper surface of the lower stage.

In an exemplary embodiment, a first groove may be formed on the protrusion. A plurality of air holes may be provided for forming a pushing out cushion or wall of pressurized air along the length of the first groove. The air holes may be connected to an air supplying part supplying air.

In an exemplary embodiment, a second groove may be formed on the protrusion. A plurality of vacuum holes for sucking air in the second groove may be formed in the second groove. The vacuum holes may be connected to vacuum generating part forming vacuum.

In an exemplary embodiment, the lower stage may further include a lower contacting portion disposed on the protrusion. The lower contacting portion may contact to a boundary of the lower surface of the display panel and may be elastic.

In an exemplary embodiment, the protrusion may be spaced apart from the side surface of the display panel by a first length toward inside of the display panel. A boundary of the lower surface of the display panel may be exposed.

In an exemplary embodiment, the coating device may further include an upper polarizer disposed on the display panel, and a lower polarizer disposed under the display panel. The lower polarizer may be smaller than the display panel in a plan view. A boundary of the lower surface of the display panel may be exposed. The protrusion may contact to the boundary of the lower surface of the display panel.

In an exemplary embodiment, the ink may have tolerance for not being dissolved by isopropyl alcohol.

In an exemplary embodiment, the nozzle of the spraying part may be spaced apart from the side surface of the display panel. The nozzle may be kept perpendicular to the side surface. The spraying part may be connected to a multi-joint robot.

In an exemplary embodiment, the ink may be sprayed to form a coating layer having a thickness of about 1 μm to about 5 μm.

According to another exemplary embodiment, a display panel includes an upper surface, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and a side surface connecting the upper surface and the lower surface. A light blocking coating layer may be formed on the side surface by spaying ink.

In an exemplary embodiment, the light blocking coating layer may extend to cover a portion of the lower surface adjacent to the side surface. The cross-section of the light blocking coating layer may have an L shape.

In an exemplary embodiment, a portion of the light blocking coating layer covering the lower surface may be formed from the side surface to about 0.6 mm to about 1 mm from the side surface.

In an exemplary embodiment, the light blocking coating layer may extend to cover a portion of the lower surface adjacent to the side surface. The light blocking coating layer may extend to cover a portion of the upper surface adjacent to the side surface. The cross-section of the light blocking coating layer may have a C shape.

In an exemplary embodiment, a thickness of the light blocking coating layer may be about 1 μm to about 5 μm.

According to still another exemplary embodiment, a method of manufacturing a display panel includes aligning a display panel on a lower stage, fixing the display panel by contacting an upper stage on the display panel, and forming a coating layer on a side surface of the display panel by spraying ink, where the side surface is exposed when the display panel is sandwiched by the upper and lower stages.

In an exemplary embodiment, the ink may include pigment having light blocking function and a tolerance for isopropyl alcohol.

In an exemplary embodiment, thickness of the coating layer may be about 1 μm to about 5 μm.

According to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the coating device includes the upper stage and the lower stage, so that the coating device may form a coating layer by precisely spraying ink. In addition, a cross-section of the coating layer may be precisely formed having specific shape such as an L or C shape.

In addition, a display apparatus having high light efficiency and reducing light leakage may be provided by using the coating device.

