TOUCH PANEL DEVICE
A touch panel stackup comprises a substrate, a first conductive element having a first refractive index and forming a plurality of patterns with on or more gaps on the substrate having an address for sensing tactile signals in a first direction and a second direction, a second conductive element having a second refractive index coupled with said plurality of patterns an insulator disposed among said one or more gaps, the second refractive index being substantially the same as said first refractive index.
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a touch panel device. More specifically, the invention relates to the index matching touch panel device.
2. Description of Related Art
Touch panels are popular input devices. When the user touches a certain position on the touch panel, corresponding to the text or the images on the underneath display device, the touch panel senses the tactile signals and transmits them to a controller for further signal processing. The controller processes the tactile signals and outputs signals corresponding to the touched position. There are several types of touch panels, for example, resistive types, capacitive types, infrared types, surface acoustic wave types, etc. For instance, the capacitive touch panels detect the difference of capacitance of the touch panel. When the user touches the touch panel, the capacitor on the corresponding position is changed. The controller detects and calculates the difference of the capacitance and then outputs corresponding signals.
The conventional touch panel includes one or more layers of sensing electrodes, conductive circuits, masking elements, a supporting substrate, and a protective lens substrate providing anti-scratch, anti-glare, and/or anti-reflective function. The sensing layer, composed of transparent conductive material forming a plurality of pre-determined geometrical patterns, could sense the tactile signal. Suitable insulators are placed among those sensing electrodes to prevent false signal arising from the conductivity among the electrodes. However, if the refractive index of the sensing electrodes is different from the insulators or the supporting substrate, the visual effects of the screen behind the touch panel will be affected and the light transmission of touch panel will also be reduced. Therefore, a special structure and manufacturing method to reduce the visual difference and improve the visual effects of touch panel is required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA touch panel stackup comprises a substrate, a first conductive element having a first refractive index and forming a plurality of patterns. The plurality of first patterns having a geocode for sensing tactile signals in a first direction and in a second direction. The plurality of first patterns having one or more gaps among them, a second conductive element electrically coupled with the plurality of patterns and an insulator in one or more gaps having a second refractive index substantially identical with the first refractive index.
In this embodiment, the manufacturing method of refractive index matching material 50 is chosen according to the size of the gaps 60 between electrode patterns 20 and electrode patterns 30 such that the refractive index matching material 50 can fully fill in the gaps 60 and does not overlap with electrode patterns 20 and electrode patterns 30. For instance, if the size of the gaps 60 is 100 microns or more, screen printing is the proper manufacturing method. If the size of the gaps 60 is tens of microns, Inkjet printing is the proper manufacturing method. If the size of the gaps 60 is less than 10 microns, aerosol printing or photolithography is the proper manufacturing method.
In this embodiment, the appropriate manufacturing method of refractive index matching material 50 is chosen from screen printing, Inkjet printing, aerosol printing or photolithography according to the size of the gaps 60 between electrode patterns 20 and electrode patterns 30. The refractive index matching material 50 fully fills in the gaps of electrode patterns 20 and electrode patterns 30. Further, the refractive index matching material 50 will be placed above electrode patterns 20 or electrode patterns 30. In
In one example, the manufacturing method of this invention involves the following steps: Step 1: we first place pre-determined electrode patterns made of transparent conductive material on the substrate by methods of sputter, photolithography, printing, or laser ablation. Then, we connect electrode patterns by conductive material such that electrode patterns could sense tactile signals in the first direction. Step 2: we fully fill in all the gaps among electrode patterns with refractive index matching material by methods of screen printing, Inkjet printing, aerosol printing or photolithography. If necessary, the refractive index matching material could partially overlap with electrode patterns. The refractive index matching material could be made by methods of baking, curing or etching. Step 3: we connect transparent conductive material or opaque conductive material having appropriate sizes with electrode patterns by screen printing, Inkjet printing, aerosol printing or photolithography, to sense tactile signal in the second direction. The electrode patterns for sensing the tactile signal in the second direction can be made in step 1 and be connected in step 3, or be made and be connected both in step 3. If necessary for the making of conductive material, the methods of baking, curing and etching can be used. If in step 1, different sizes of electrode patterns were used to produce geocoded electrode patterns which could sense tactile signal in the first direction and in the second direction at the same time, step 3 can be eliminated. The sequence of all above-mentioned steps can be adjusted to meet the actual needs.
In another example, the manufacturing method of the invention includes: forming a substrate; forming a first electrical wire; forming an insulator; forming a second electrical wire, wherein the insulator is positioned between the first electrical wire and second electrical wire to insulate the first electrical wire from the second electrical wire; forming on the substrate a first electrode having a first refractive index and having a plurality of first patterns for sensing tactile signals in a first direction, wherein the plurality of first patterns is electrically coupled with the first electrical wire; and forming on the substrate a second electrode having a second refractive index and having a plurality of second patterns for sensing tactile signals in a second direction, wherein the plurality of second patterns is electrically coupled with the second electrical wire, and wherein the insulator has a third refractive index substantially identical to the first and second refractive index. As described above, electrode patterns can be made of transparent conductive material and can be formed on the substrate through a number of different methods, such as sputter, photolithography, printing, and/or laser ablation. The insulator can be formed by screen printing, inkjet printing, aerosol printing, photolithography, baking, curing, and/or etching.
In yet another example, the manufacturing method of the invention includes: forming a substrate; forming electrical wires for electrically coupling electrode patterns; forming an insulator layer having a plurality of gaps that allow the electrical wires to electrically couple with electrode patterns through the plurality of gaps, and wherein the insulator layer has a first refractive index; forming a first electrode having a second refractive index and having a plurality of first patterns on the insulator layer; and forming a second electrode having a third refractive index and having a plurality of second patterns on the insulator, wherein the plurality of second patterns is electrically coupled with the electrical wires accessible through the plurality of gaps in the insulator layer, and wherein the first refractive index, the second refractive index, and the third refractive index are substantially similar.
In still another example, the manufacturing method of the invention includes: forming a substrate; forming first electrical wires; forming insulator regions on the first electrical wires, and wherein the insulator regions have a first refractive index; forming a first electrode having a second refractive index and having a plurality of first patterns on the substrate, and wherein the plurality of first patterns are electrically coupled by the first electrical wires; forming a second electrode having a third refractive index and having a plurality of second patterns on the substrate; and forming second electrical wires for electrically coupling the plurality of second patterns, and wherein the second electrical wires are shielded by the insulator regions from electrical contact with the first electrical wires, and wherein the first refractive index, the second refractive index, and the third refractive index are substantially similar.
According to the design of the products, different electrode patterns, electrical wires and refractive index matching material are chosen. The material of substrate can be glass, and the refractive index of glass could be 1.4˜1.9. The materials of electrode patterns could be Indium Tin Oxide with a refractive index of 1.7˜1.8. The refractive index of refractive index matching material which is placed among electrode patterns and electrical wires could be 1.5˜2.1, for example, TiO2: 1.7˜1.8, SiO2: 1.5˜1.6, Nb2O5: 2.0˜2.1 and transparent insulating photoresist: 1.5˜1.6. Some products would have areas with specific function on the touch panel and would require some pre-determined patterns to describe such specific function areas. We could adopt several different groups of electrode patterns, electrical wires, and refractive index matching material with different colors or different refractive index to form different refractive index matching areas on the touch panel and to form desired patterns.
This invention has been described with reference to embodiments. It shall be understood, however, that many alternative modifications and variations will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the pertinent art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, the present invention embraces all such alternative modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A touch panel stackup, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first electrode having a first refractive index and forming a plurality of first patterns on the substrate for sensing tactile signals in a first direction;
- a second electrode having a second refractive index and forming a plurality of second patterns on the substrate for sensing tactile signals in a second direction;
- a first electrical wire electrically coupled with said plurality of first patterns;
- a second electrical wire electrically coupled with said plurality of second patterns; and
- an insulator placed among the first electrical wire and second electrical wire to insulate said first electrical wire from said second electrical wire, said insulator having a third refractive index substantially identical to said first and second refractive index.
2. The touch panel stackup of claim 1, wherein the refractive index of said first electrode is identical with the refractive index of said second electrode.
3. The touch panel stackup of claim 1, wherein the refractive index of said first electrical wire is identical with the refractive index of said second electrical wire.
4. The touch panel stackup of claim 1, wherein said first electrical wire and said second electrical wire are substantially opaque.
5. The touch panel stackup of claim 1, wherein said first electrical wire and said second electrical wire are substantially transparent.
6. The touch panel stackup of claim 1, wherein said insulator is substantially transparent.
7. The touch panel stackup of claim 1, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are substantially transparent.
8. The touch panel stackup of claim 1, wherein the material of said insulator is chosen from TiO2, SiO2, Nb2O5 or transparent insulating photoresist.
9. The touch panel stackup of claim 1, wherein the refractive index of said substrate is 1.4˜1.9.
10. The touch panel stackup of claim 1, wherein said third refractive index is 1.5˜2.1.
11. A touch panel stackup, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first conductive element having a first refractive index and forming a plurality of first patterns with one or more gaps on said substrate, said plurality of first patterns having an geocode for sensing tactile signals in a first direction and in a second direction;
- a second conductive element electrically coupled with said plurality of first patterns; and
- an insulator placed among said one or more gaps, wherein said insulator has a second refractive index identical to said first refractive index.
12. The touch panel stackup of claim 11, wherein said first conductive element and said second conductive element are of the same material.
13. The touch panel stackup of claim 11, wherein said second conductive element is substantially opaque.
14. The touch panel stackup of claim 11, wherein said one or more gaps are fully filled by said insulator.
15. The touch panel stackup of claim 11, wherein said insulator is made by one of the methods: screen printing, inkjet printing, aerosol printing or photolithography.
16. The touch panel stackup of claim 11, wherein the refractive index of said substrate is 1.4˜1.9.
17. The touch panel stackup of claim 11, wherein the refractive index of said insulator is 1.5˜2.1.
18. The touch panel stackup of claim 11, wherein said plurality of patterns are geocoded by different pattern sizes or different pattern shapes.
19. The touch panel stackup of claim 11, wherein the material of said insulator is chosen from TiO2, SiO2, Nb2O5 or transparent insulating photoresist.
20. The touch panel stackup of claim 11, wherein the materials of said first conductive element and said insulator are substantially transparent.
21. A touch panel stackup, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first electrode having a first refractive index and forming a plurality of first patterns on the substrate;
- a second electrode having a second refractive index and forming a plurality of second patterns on the substrate;
- a first electrical wire electrically coupled with said plurality of first patterns;
- a second electrical wire electrically coupled with said plurality of second patterns;
- a first insulator used to insulate individual patterns of said plurality of first patterns from each other;
- a second insulator used to insulate individual patterns of said plurality of second patterns from each other;
- wherein the refractive index of said first insulator is substantially identical to said first refractive index; and
- wherein the refractive index of said second insulator is substantially identical to said second refractive index.
22. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein said first electrical wire and second electrical wire are substantially of the same refractive index.
23. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein said first refractive index is substantially identical to said second refractive index.
24. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein said first electrode and second electrode are substantially transparent.
25. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein said first insulator and second insulator are substantially transparent.
26. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein said first electrical wire and second electrical wire are substantially opaque.
27. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein the materials of said first insulator and second insulator are chosen from TiO2, SiO2, Nb2O5 or transparent insulating photoresist.
28. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein said first insulator and second insulator are made by one of the methods: screen printing, inkjet printing, aerosol printing or photolithography.
29. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein the refractive index of said substrate is 1.4˜1.9.
30. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein the refractive index of said first insulator and second insulator is 1.5˜2.1.
31. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein the materials of said first electrode and second electrode are chosen from Indium Tin Oxide, Aluminum Zinc Oxide, Zinc Tin Oxide, Conductive Polymer or Carbon Nanotube.
32. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein the materials of said first electrical wire and second electrical wire are chosen from aluminum, silver or copper.
33. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein said first patterns and second patterns are chosen from round, oval, polygonalor irregular patterns.
34. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, said first patterns having first geocode, said second patterns having second geocode, and said first geocode and second geocode can be used to sense directional tactile signals.
35. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, said first patterns having one or more gaps.
36. The touch panel stackup of claim 35, said first insulator placed among said one or more gaps.
37. The touch panel stackup of claim 35, wherein said one or more gaps are fully filled by said first insulator.
38. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein the materials of said first electrode and second electrode is substantially identical.
39. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein the materials of said first insulator and second insulator are chosen from TiO2, SiO2 or Nb2O5.
40. The touch panel stackup of claim 21, wherein said first electrical wire is insulated from said second electrical wire.
41. A touch panel stackup, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first conductive element having a first refractive index and forming a plurality of patterns with one or more gaps on said substrate;
- an insulator placed among said one or more gaps, wherein said insulator has a second refractive index substantially identical to said first refractive index; and
- a second conductive element coupled with said first conductive element by the plurality of openings on said insulator.
42. The touch panel stackup of claim 41, wherein said first conductive element and second conductive element are substantially of the same material.
43. The touch panel stackup of claim 41, wherein said first conductive element and said insulator are substantially transparent.
44. The touch panel stackup of claim 41, wherein said second conductive element is substantially opaque.
45. The touch panel stackup of claim 41, wherein the material of said insulator is chosen from TiO2, SiO2, Nb2O5 or transparent insulating photoresist.
46. The touch panel stackup of claim 41, wherein the material of said first conductive element is chosen from Indium Tin Oxide, Aluminum Zinc Oxide, Zinc Tin Oxide, Conductive Polymer or Carbon Nanotube.
47. The touch panel stackup of claim 41, wherein the material of said second conductive element is chosen from aluminum, silver or copper.
48. The touch panel stackup of claim 41, wherein the refractive index of said substrate is 1.4˜1.9.
49. The touch panel stackup of claim 41, wherein the refractive index of said insulator is 1.5˜2.1.
50. A method for manufacturing a touch panel stackup, comprising:
- forming a substrate;
- forming on the substrate a first electrode having a first refractive index and having a plurality of first patterns for sensing tactile signals in a first direction;
- forming on the substrate a second electrode having a second refractive index and having a plurality of second patterns for sensing tactile signals in a second direction;
- forming a first electrical wire that is electrically coupled with the plurality of first patterns;
- forming a second electrical wire that is electrically coupled with the plurality of second patterns; and
- forming an insulator between the first electrical wire and second electrical wire to insulate the first electrical wire from the second electrical wire, the insulator having a third refractive index substantially identical to the first and second refractive index.
51. A method for manufacturing a touch panel stackup, comprising:
- forming a substrate;
- forming a first conductive element having a first refractive index and having a plurality of first patterns with one or more gaps on the substrate, the plurality of first patterns having an geocode for sensing tactile signals in a first direction and in a second direction;
- forming a second conductive element that is electrically coupled with the plurality of first patterns; and
- forming an insulator among the one or more gaps, wherein the insulator has a second refractive index identical to the first refractive index.
52. A method for manufacturing a touch panel stackup, comprising:
- forming a substrate;
- forming a first electrode having a first refractive index and having a plurality of first patterns on the substrate;
- forming a second electrode having a second refractive index and having a plurality of second patterns on the substrate;
- forming a first electrical wire that is electrically coupled with the plurality of first patterns;
- forming a second electrical wire that is electrically coupled with the plurality of second patterns;
- forming a first insulator to insulate individual patterns of the plurality of first patterns from each other;
- forming a second insulator to insulate individual patterns of the plurality of second patterns from each other;
- wherein the refractive index of the first insulator is substantially identical to the first refractive index; and
- wherein the refractive index of the second insulator is substantially identical to the second refractive index.
53. A method for manufacturing a touch panel stackup, comprising:
- forming a substrate;
- forming a first conductive element having a first refractive index and having a plurality of patterns with one or more gaps on the substrate;
- forming an insulator among the one or more gaps, wherein the insulator has a second refractive index substantially identical to the first refractive index; and
- forming a second conductive element coupled with the first conductive element by the plurality of openings on the insulator.
54. A method for manufacturing a touch panel stackup, comprising:
- forming a substrate;
- forming a first electrical wire;
- forming an insulator;
- forming a second electrical wire, wherein the insulator is positioned between the first electrical wire and second electrical wire to insulate the first electrical wire from the second electrical wire;
- forming on the substrate a first electrode having a first refractive index and having a plurality of first patterns for sensing tactile signals in a first direction, wherein the plurality of first patterns is electrically coupled with the first electrical wire; and
- forming on the substrate a second electrode having a second refractive index and having a plurality of second patterns for sensing tactile signals in a second direction, wherein the plurality of second patterns is electrically coupled with the second electrical wire, and wherein the insulator has a third refractive index substantially identical to the first and second refractive index.
55. A method for manufacturing a touch panel stackup, comprising:
- forming a substrate;
- forming electrical wires for electrically coupling electrode patterns;
- forming an insulator layer having a plurality of gaps that allow the electrical wires to electrically couple with electrode patterns through the plurality of gaps, and wherein the insulator layer has a first refractive index;
- forming a first electrode having a second refractive index and having a plurality of first patterns on the insulator layer; and
- forming a second electrode having a third refractive index and having a plurality of second patterns on the insulator, wherein the plurality of second patterns is electrically coupled with the electrical wires accessible through the plurality of gaps in the insulator layer, and wherein the first refractive index, the second refractive index, and the third refractive index are substantially similar.
56. A method for manufacturing a touch panel stackup, comprising:
- forming a substrate;
- forming first electrical wires;
- forming insulator regions on the first electrical wires, and wherein the insulator regions have a first refractive index;
- forming a first electrode having a second refractive index and having a plurality of first patterns on the substrate, and wherein the plurality of first patterns are electrically coupled by the first electrical wires; and
- forming a second electrode having a third refractive index and having a plurality of second patterns on the substrate; and
- forming second electrical wires for electrically coupling the plurality of second patterns, and wherein the second electrical wires are shielded by the insulator regions from electrical contact with the first electrical wires, and wherein the first refractive index, the second refractive index, and the third refractive index are substantially similar.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 22, 2011
Publication Date: Feb 26, 2015
Patent Grant number: 10048783
Applicant: TPK Touch Solutions, Inc. (Taipei City)
Inventors: Chen-Yu Liu (Taoyuan County), Lu-Hsing Lee (Taoyuan County)
Application Number: 13/031,911
International Classification: G06F 3/041 (20060101); B05D 5/12 (20060101);