CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0032902, filed on Mar. 22, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND

Field

Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate generally to a lamination apparatus and a method of manufacturing a display device using the same.

Discussion of the Background

The display device market has been developed for a flat panel display (FPD). In flat panel displays, an area thereof may be easily increased while thickness and weight may be decreased.

Flat panel displays may include a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), an organic light emitting display (OLED), and the like.

However, recently, curved panel displays (CPDs) that have a curvature in a partial area thereof have been developed in FPDs, and an additional member or sensor may be disposed on a curved surface of a display. In CPDs, a larger amount of space may be utilized than that of FPDs, and a variety of functions may be provided through sensors disposed on a curved surface.

Accordingly, CPDs have been developed as a next-generation display device, and thus, a variety of evaluation apparatuses or manufacturing apparatuses related to a curved substrate or a curved panel are required.

More particularly, when joining a cover window having a curved shape to a panel having a flat shape in a CPD, since the cover window and the panel have different shapes, it is not easy to join a curved surface part with a conventional joining method.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for understanding of the background of the inventive concepts, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute prior art.

SUMMARY

A lamination apparatus constructed according to exemplary embodiments of the invention includes a pivotable jig device and is capable of joining a curved-shaped member to a flat-shaped member.

Exemplary embodiments also provide a method of manufacturing a display device, which easily joins a first member and a second member having different shapes by using the lamination apparatus without a gap therebetween.

Additional features of the inventive concepts will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the inventive concepts.

A lamination apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes a first stage including a first body portion and an accommodation portion disposed on a bottom surface of the first body portion, a second stage disposed to face the first stage, and a jig device disposed between the first stage and the second stage, the jig device including a second body portion and at least one jig portion, in which the at least one jig portion has one end fastened to the second body portion and the other end having a rounded shape.

The accommodation portion may be recessed upwardly from a portion of the bottom surface of the first body portion, and an outer part of the accommodation portion may have a curved surface.

The first stage may further include a first sealing portion surrounding the outer part of the accommodation portion.

The first stage may further include a fixing device disposed on a top surface of the first body portion overlapping with the accommodation portion.

The jig portion may include a first jig portion including a first end fastened to the second body portion and a second end opposite to the first end, and a second jig portion including a third end facing the first end of the first jig portion and a fourth end opposite to the third end.

A width from the second end of the first jig portion to the fourth end of the second jig portion along a first direction may be less than a width of the accommodation portion measured in the first direction.

The first jig portion and the second jig portion may be configured to pivot by a predetermined radius on a central axis located in the second body portion, to which the first end of the first jig portion and the third end of the second jig portion are fastened.

The jig device may further include a pressure device configured to apply a first pressure between the first jig portion, the second jig portion, and the first stage.

The second stage may include a first sub-stage disposed below the first jig portion, and a second sub-stage spaced apart from the first sub-stage and disposed below the second jig portion.

The first sub-stage may include a fixing area, in which at least a portion thereof is curved, and the fixing area may face the second end of the first jig portion.

The second stage may further include a second sealing portion disposed on the fixing area of the first sub-stage.

A method of manufacturing a display device according to another exemplary embodiment includes preparing a first member on a first stage, the first member having at least one curved portion, preparing a second member on a jig device and moving the jig device, such that the second member faces the first member, and fixing the first stage and the jig device and joining the first member and the second member.

The jig device may include a body portion and at least one jig portion having one end fastened to the body portion and the other end having a rounded shape, and the jig portion may pivot by a predetermined radius on a central axis disposed in the body portion.

Preparing the second member on the jig device may include forming an adhesive sheet on the jig device, and placing the second member on the adhesive sheet.

Preparing the second member on the jig device and moving the jig device may further include bending the second member by pivoting the jig portion, such that a central part of the second member is placed below both ends thereof, and unbending the second member to be disposed adjacent to the first member while being spaced apart therefrom.

Fixing the first stage and the jig device and joining the first member and the second member may include applying a first pressure between the first stage and the jig device, and applying a second pressure higher than the first pressure between the jig device and the adhesive sheet.

The first pressure may be within a range of 10 Pa to 10 kPa, and the second pressure may be within a range of 0.1 MPa to 0.9 MPa.

The first stage may further include a fixing device forming a vacuum at least in a partial area of a bottom surface, and the first member may be provided on the bottom surface of the first stage and the fixing device may form a vacuum between the first member and the bottom surface.

The first member may include one surface parallel to the bottom surface of the first stage and a first peripheral part bent downward from the one surface, and a width of the one surface of the first member along a second direction may be less than a width of the first member measured in the second direction.

The first member may further include a second peripheral part bent downward from the one surface, and a width between opposing ends of the first and second peripheral parts of the first member may be less than the width of the first member measured in the second direction.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

