Curved display panel manufacturing method

Abstract

A curved display panel manufacturing method is provided. The curved display panel manufacturing method in which a display panel in a desired curved shape is manufactured using a prefabricated flat liquid crystal panel including a lower substrate and an upper substrate formed of glass and opposite each other, each of the lower substrate and an upper substrate being provided with a polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, includes separating the polarizing plates from the lower substrate and the upper substrate, removing the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel to reduce the lower substrate and the upper substrate from which the polarizing plates are separated to a designated thickness, and bending the liquid crystal panel having the removed outer surface in a desired curved shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A curved display panel manufacturing method in which a display panel in a desired curved shape is manufactured using a prefabricated flat liquid crystal panel including a lower substrate and an upper substrate formed of glass and opposite each other, each of the lower substrate and an upper substrate being provided with a polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, comprising:
 separating the polarizing plates from the lower substrate and the upper substrate;   removing the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel to reduce the lower substrate and the upper substrate from which the polarizing plates are separated to a designated thickness;   bending the liquid crystal panel having the removed outer surface in a desired curved shape; and   attaching prefabricated transparent substrates bent in the same curved shape as the desired curved shape to the liquid crystal panel bent in the desired curved shape using an adhesive so as to maintain the curved shape of the liquid crystal panel.   
     
     
         2 . The curved display panel manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , further comprising re-attaching the separated polarizing plates to the lower substrate and the upper substrate, after the bending of the liquid crystal panel having the removed outer surface in the desired curved shape. 
     
     
         3 . The curved display panel manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal panel further includes a tab electrically connected to the liquid crystal panel,
 wherein the curved display panel manufacturing method further comprises:   separating the tab from the liquid crystal panel before the removal of the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel; and   re-attaching the separated tab to the liquid crystal panel after the attachment of the transparent substrates to the liquid crystal panel.   
     
     
         4 . The curved display panel manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the removal of the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel to reduce the lower substrate and the upper substrate from which the polarizing plates are separated to a designated thickness includes masking parts of the upper substrate or the lower substrate where protrusions separating the transparent substrates from the lower substrate or the upper substrate will be formed with masking members preventing removal of the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel so as to form the protrusions. 
     
     
         5 . The curved display panel manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , further comprising attaching separation members having a random thickness to the lower substrate or the upper substrate so as to form protrusions separating the transparent substrates from the lower substrate or the upper substrate, before the attachment of the transparent substrates to the liquid crystal panel bent in the desired curved shape so as to maintain the curved shape of the liquid crystal panel. 
     
     
         6 . The curved display panel manufacturing method according to  claim 4 , wherein the protrusions are formed at both ends of the lower substrate or the upper substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The curved display panel manufacturing method according to  claim 5 , wherein the protrusions are formed at both ends of the lower substrate or the upper substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The curved display panel manufacturing method according to  claim 4 , further comprising injecting a liquid transparent polymer into spaces between the liquid crystal panel and the transparent substrates, attached to the liquid crystal panel while being separated from the liquid crystal panel by the protrusions, and then hardening the injected liquid transparent polymer, after the attachment of the transparent substrates to the liquid crystal panel bent in the desired curved shape so as to maintain the curved shape of the liquid crystal panel. 
     
     
         9 . The curved display panel manufacturing method according to  claim 5 , further comprising injecting a liquid transparent polymer into spaces between the liquid crystal panel and the transparent substrates, attached to the liquid crystal panel while being separated from the liquid crystal panel by the protrusions, and then hardening the injected liquid transparent polymer, after the attachment of the transparent substrates to the liquid crystal panel bent in the desired curved shape so as to maintain the curved shape of the liquid crystal panel. 
     
     
         10 . The curved display panel manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the separation of the polarizing plates from the lower substrate and the upper substrate includes cooling the liquid crystal panel to a sub-zero temperature so that an adhesive attaching the polarizing plates to the lower substrate and the upper substrate loses adhesive force. 
     
     
         11 . A curved display panel manufacturing method in which a display panel in a desired curved shape is manufactured using a prefabricated flat liquid crystal panel including a lower substrate and an upper substrate formed of glass and opposite each other, each of the lower substrate and an upper substrate being provided with a polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, comprising:
 separating the polarizing plates from the lower substrate and the upper substrate;   removing the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel to reduce the lower substrate and the upper substrate from which the polarizing plates are separated to a designated thickness;   bending the liquid crystal panel having the removed outer surface in a desired curved shape;   re-attaching the separated polarizing plates to the lower substrate and the upper substrate; and   forming transparent polymer layers on the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel by loading the liquid crystal panel into a mold set formed in the same curved shape as the desired curved shape, injecting a liquid transparent polymer into the mold set, and hardening the liquid transparent polymer, so as to maintain the curved shape of the liquid crystal panel.   
     
     
         12 . The curved display panel manufacturing method according to  claim 9 , further comprising setting the thickness of the transparent polymer layers to be formed within the mold set, before the formation of the transparent polymer layers on the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel. 
     
     
         13 . A curved display panel manufacturing method in which a display panel in a desired curved shape is manufactured using a prefabricated flat liquid crystal panel including a lower substrate and an upper substrate formed of glass and opposite each other, each of the lower substrate and an upper substrate being provided with a polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, comprising:
 separating the polarizing plates from the lower substrate and the upper substrate;   removing the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel to reduce the lower substrate and the upper substrate from which the polarizing plates are separated to a designated thickness;   bending the liquid crystal panel having the removed outer surface in a desired curved shape;   forming polarizing patterns on prefabricated transparent substrates bent in the same curved shape as the desired curved shape; and   attaching the prefabricated transparent substrates to the outer surface of the liquid crystal panel bent in the desired curved shape so as to maintain the curved shape of the liquid crystal panel.