Method for forming partitions of plasma display panel by using sandblasting processing

Abstract

A partition is formed by the process including a step for providing a sheet-like partition material that covers a display area and outside thereof on the surface of the substrate, a step for providing a mask for patterning that covers the display area and the outside thereof, so that a pattern of the portion arranged outside of the display area of the mask is a grid-like pattern, a step for patterning the partition material covered partially with the mask by a sandblasting process, and a step for baking the partition material after the patterning.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel, the partitions dividing a discharge space of a plasma display panel, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a sheet-like partition material on a substrate that is a panel material, the partition material covering a display area and outside thereof on a surface of the substrate;   providing a mask for patterning on the partition material, the mask covering the display area and the outside thereof, so that a pattern of the portion arranged in the display area of the mask corresponds to the partitions, and a pattern of the portion arranged outside of the display area of the mask is a pattern for dividing a band-like portion along a rim of the display area as a grid;   patterning the partition material covered partially with the mask by a sandblasting process; and   baking the partition material after the patterning.   
     
     
       2. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing the mask so as to cover the display area and both sides thereof in a first direction; and   moving a nozzle for ejecting a cutting material relatively to the partition material in the first direction in a reciprocating manner while patterning the partition material by the sandblasting process.   
     
     
       3. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 2 , further comprising the step of forming an auxiliary mask outside the mask in the first direction with a distance from the mask at the same time when forming the mask. 
     
     
       4. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 3 , wherein both ends of the auxiliary mask in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction protrudes from the mask. 
     
     
       5. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 4 , wherein the pattern of the auxiliary mask is a stripe pattern in which a plurality of long bands is arranged in parallel in the second direction. 
     
     
       6. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 4 , wherein the pattern of the auxiliary mask is a stripe pattern in which a plurality of long thin bands is arranged in parallel in the second direction and at least both ends of the band that is closest to the mask are not protruded from the mask. 
     
     
       7. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 4 , wherein the pattern of the auxiliary mask is a ring pattern that is oblong in the second direction. 
     
     
       8. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 1 , wherein a corner portion of the mask has an arcuate shape. 
     
     
       9. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 4 , wherein the pattern of the auxiliary mask is a pattern in which a plurality of bands that is shorter than the entire length of the display area in the second direction is arranged in parallel to each other as a plurality of discontinuous lines along the second direction. 
     
     
       10. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 9 , wherein discontinuous points are shifted from each other among the plural discontinuous lines in the pattern of the auxiliary mask. 
     
     
       11. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 9 , wherein the length of the band in the pattern of the auxiliary mask has a value within the range of 0.05-200 mm. 
     
     
       12. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 9 , wherein both the width and the length of the band in the pattern of the auxiliary mask have a value less than 240 μm. 
     
     
       13. The method for forming partitions of a plasma display panel according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the width of the band located at the most outside portion among the bands constituting a grid-like pattern of the portion arranged outside of the display area of the mask has a value within the range of 160-320 μm. 
     
     
       14. A method for forming partitions that divide a discharge space in each of plural plasma display panels simultaneously, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a sheet-like partition material on a substrate that is a panel material on which display areas corresponding to the plural plasma display panels respectively are arranged linearly, the partition material covering the plural display areas and outside thereof on a surface of the substrate;   providing a mask for patterning on the partition material, the mask covering the inside and the outside of the display area for each display area, so that a pattern of the portion arranged in the display area of the mask corresponds to the partitions, and a pattern of the portion arranged outside of the display area of the mask is a pattern for dividing a band-like portion along a rim of the display area as a grid;   forming an auxiliary mask at least between neighboring masks with a distance from the mask at the same time when forming the mask;   patterning the partition material covered partially with the mask and the auxiliary mask by a sandblasting process; and   baking the partition material after the patterning.   
     
     
       15. A plasma display panel, comprising:
 a substrate;   a first partition area arranged in a display area extending in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction so as to delimit the display area by upper and lower horizontally extending sides and left and right vertically extending sides on the substrate; and   second partition areas arranged on a non-display area so as to extend at least in the vertical direction outside of the upper and lower horizontally extending sides of the display area on the substrate;   wherein the first partition area includes a plurality of partitions extending at least in a vertical direction;   wherein the second partition areas include a plurality of cells arranged vertically and horizontally in such a manner that the second partition areas are sectioned by a plurality of vertical partitions extending vertically and a plurality of horizontal partitions extending horizontally; and   wherein at least one of the cells has a size greater than at least another of the cells.    
     
     
       16. A plasma display panel according to claim 15, wherein the at least one of the cells is arranged at a corner portion of the second partition area.  
     
     
       17. A plasma display panel according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the vertical and horizontal partitions forming the at least one of the cells has an arcuate shape.  
     
     
       18. A plasma display panel according to claim 15, wherein in a horizontal direction, a length of the at least one of the cells is greater than a length of an adjacent another cell.  
     
     
       19. A plasma display panel according to claim 15, wherein in a vertical direction, a length of the at least one of the cells is greater than a length of an adjacent another cell.  
     
     
       20. A plasma display panel according to claim 15, wherein a length of the at least one of the cells in one of horizontal and vertical directions corresponds to a length of a plurality of adjacent another cells.  
     
     
       21. A plasma display panel according to claim 15, wherein a projection formed at a corner portion of at least one of the second partition areas has a height which is not greater than 16 μm.  
     
     
       22. A plasma display panel according to claim 21, wherein the projection has a height which is not greater than 12 μm.  
     
     
       23. A plasma display panel according to claim 15, wherein all of the partitions are formed by a sandblasting method.  
     
     
       24. A plasma display panel, comprising:
 a substrate;   a first partition area arranged in a display area on the substrate; and   second partition areas arranged vertically outside of both sides of the display area on the substrate;   wherein the first partition area includes a plurality of first partitions extending vertically;   wherein the second partition areas include a plurality of second partitions extending vertically, a plurality of third partitions extending horizontally, and first and second cells that are different in size are formed by the plurality of second partitions and the plurality of third partitions; and   wherein at least one of the plurality of third partitions has a width greater than a width of at least one of the plurality of first partitions and the plurality of second partitions.    
     
     
       25. A plasma display panel according to claim 15, wherein no other display area is arranged at least in the vertical direction outside of the second partition areas arranged on the non-display area.  
     
     
       26. A plasma display panel according to claim 24, wherein no other display area is arranged outside of the first partition area arranged in the display area extending in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.  
     
     
       27. A plasma display panel according to claim 26, wherein the second partition areas are arranged on a non-display area vertically outside of the both sides of the display area on the substrate, and at least one of the plurality of third partitions of the second partition areas and which extend horizontally, has the width greater than the width of at least one of the plurality of first partitions and the plurality of second partitions.