US5710097A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process and materials for imagewise placement of uniform spacers in flat panel displays
Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Co
•
Filing: 1996-06-27
•
Granted: 1998-01-20
•
Expires: 2016-06-27
Abstract
Abstract Process and materials are described for selectively placing uniform spacers on a receptor. Spacer elements are placed on a receptor by selectively irradiating a thermal transfer donor sheet comprising a transferable spacer layer. The transferable spacer layer may include particles or fibers to form a composite. The particles may have a spacing dimension either greater than or less than the thickness of the transferable layer. When the spacing dimension of the particle is greater than the thickness of the transferable layer, then the spacing dimension of the particles control the spacing distance. The process and materials are useful in the manufacture of flat panel displays, particularly, liquid crystal display devices.
Inventors
- 👤 John S. Staral
- 👤 Claire A. Jalbert
- 👤 William A. Tolbert
- 👤 Martin B. Wolk
- 👤 Allan R. Martens
- 👤 Thomas A. Isberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 21:26
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/26; B41M5/40; B41M5/42; G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/13; G02F1/133; G02F1/1333; G02F1/1339; B41M5/382; B41M5/38207; B41M5/46; G02F1/13394; B41M5/392; B41M5/395; B41M5/41; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/913; Y10S428/914; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24893; Y10T428/24901; Y10T428/24942; Y10T428/25; Y10T428/28; Y10T428/2813; Y10T428/2817; Y10T428/2826; Y10T428/2848; Y10T428/31504
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
A process for selectively placing spacers on a receptor for use in a flat panel display comprising the steps of: (i) providing a receptor and a thermal transfer donor sheet, said donor sheet comprising in order, (a) a support, (b) a transferable spacer layer, and (c) an optional adhesive layer, wherein at least one of said receptor, said support, said spacer layer or said optional adhesive layer comprises a radiation absorber; (ii) placing in intimate contact said receptor with said transferable spacer layer of said thermal transfer donor sheet; (iii) irradiating at least one of said thermal transfer donor sheet or said receptor in an imagewise pattern with imaging radiation, said imaging radiation being absorbed by said radiation absorber and converted to sufficient heat to transfer irradiated areas of said transferable spacer layer of said thermal transfer donor sheet to said receptor; (iv) transferring said transferable spacer layer in said irradiated areas to said receptor; and (v) removing said thermal transfer donor sheet to form spacer elements corresponding to said irradiated areas on said receptor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
A process for selectively placing spacers on a receptor for use in a flat panel display comprising the steps of: (i) providing a receptor and a thermal transfer donor sheet, said donor sheet comprising in order, (a) a support, (b) a transferable spacer layer, and (c) an optional adhesive layer, wherein at least one of said receptor, said support, said spacer layer or said optional adhesive layer comprises a radiation absorber; (ii) placing in intimate contact said receptor with said transferable spacer layer of said thermal transfer donor sheet; (iii) irradiating at least one of said thermal transfer donor sheet or said receptor in an imagewise pattern with imaging radiation, said imaging radiation being absorbed by said radiation absorber and converted to sufficient heat to transfer irradiated areas of said transferable spacer layer of said thermal transfer donor sheet to said receptor; (iv) transferring said transferable spacer layer in said irradiated areas to said receptor; and (v) removing said thermal transfer donor sheet to form spacer elements corresponding to said irradiated areas on said receptor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
191 words
A process for selectively placing spacers on a receptor for use in a flat panel display comprising the steps of: (i) providing a receptor having a first surface and a second surface and a thermal transfer donor sheet, said donor sheet comprising in order, (a) a support, (b) a light to heat conversion layer comprising a first radiation absorber, (c) a transferable spacer layer, and (d) an optional adhesive layer; (ii) placing in intimate contact said first surface of said receptor with said transferable spacer layer of said thermal transfer donor sheet; (iii) irradiating at least one of said thermal transfer donor sheet or said receptor in an imagewise pattern with imaging radiation, said imaging radiation being absorbed by said first radiation absorber and converted to sufficient heat to transfer irradiated areas of said transferable spacer layer of said thermal transfer donor sheet to said first surface of said receptor; (iv) transferring said transferable spacer layer in said irradiated areas to said first surface of said receptor; and (v) removing said thermal transfer donor sheet to form spacer elements corresponding to said irradiated areas on said first surface of said receptor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
191 words
A process for selectively placing spacers on a receptor for use in a flat panel display comprising the steps of: (i) providing a receptor having a first surface and a second surface and a thermal transfer donor sheet, said donor sheet comprising in order, (a) a support, (b) a light to heat conversion layer comprising a first radiation absorber, (c) a transferable spacer layer, and (d) an optional adhesive layer; (ii) placing in intimate contact said first surface of said receptor with said transferable spacer layer of said thermal transfer donor sheet; (iii) irradiating at least one of said thermal transfer donor sheet or said receptor in an imagewise pattern with imaging radiation, said imaging radiation being absorbed by said first radiation absorber and converted to sufficient heat to transfer irradiated areas of said transferable spacer layer of said thermal transfer donor sheet to said first surface of said receptor; (iv) transferring said transferable spacer layer in said irradiated areas to said first surface of said receptor; and (v) removing said thermal transfer donor sheet to form spacer elements corresponding to said irradiated areas on said first surface of said receptor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 2 wherein at least one of said receptor, said support, said transferable spacer layer or said optional adhesive layer comprises a second radiation absorber which absorbs said imaging radiation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 2 further comprising a non-transferable interlayer interposed between said light to heat conversion layer and said transferable spacer layer of said thermal transfer donor sheet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 4 wherein at least one of said receptor, said support, said non-transferable interlayer or said transferable spacer layer comprises a second radiation absorber which absorbs said imaging radiation and converts said radiation to heat.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said receptor further comprises an adhesive topcoat deposited on said first surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said transferable spacer layer is a composite comprising particles having spacing dimensions less than the thickness of said spacer layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said transferable spacer layer is a composite comprising particles having a mean spacing dimension greater than the thickness of said spacer layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the size distribution of said particles has a standard deviation of + or -20% of said mean spacing dimension of said particles.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the size distribution of said particles has a standard deviation of + or -10% of said mean spacing dimension of said particles.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the size distribution of said particles has a standard deviation of + or -5% of said mean spacing dimension of said particles.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said transferable spacer layer is a composite comprising particles wherein at least 5% of said particles have a spacing dimension greater than the thickness of said spacer layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 2 wherein said transferable spacer layer is a composite comprising particles wherein at least 10% of said particles have a spacing dimension greater than the thickness of said spacer layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 2 further comprising the steps of: (vi) attaching said spacer elements to a substrate to form cavities between said substrate and said receptor; (vii) filling said cavities with liquid crystal materials; and (viii) sealing the periphery of said substrate to said receptor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4720173A
Cited
EP0163297A2
Cited
US4940640A
Cited
US4776671A
Cited
US4874461A
Cited
US5089372A
Cited
US4983429A
Cited
US4772583A
Cited
US4983023A
Cited
US4833124A
Cited
EP0321923B1
Cited
US4877697A
Cited
JPH02223922A
Cited
US5156938A
Cited
US4942141A
Cited
US4948777A
Cited
US4950639A
Cited
US4948778A
Cited
US4952552A
Cited
US4912083A
Cited
US5171650A
Cited
US5024990A
Cited
US5023229A
Cited
US5401607A
Cited
WO1993001517A1
Cited
US5268782A
Cited
JPH05203967A
Cited
EP0568993A2
Cited
US5351617A
Cited
US5389288A
Cited
US5278023A
Cited
US5286604A
Cited
US5340699A
Cited
JPH0728068A
Cited
JPH07152038A
Cited
US5360694A
Cited
WO1995027680A1
Cited
JPH07325298A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-01-19 | 2001-07-21 | 2002-01-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-01-19 | 2005-07-21 | 2006-01-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-01-19 | 2009-07-21 | 2010-01-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |