Touch panel

• US 10,095,362 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirakata, Yoshiharu, Kubota, Daisuke, Okazaki, Kenichi, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosario, Nelson
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUGHES, EBONI N
• Application Number:
  US15/076,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20160282989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A lightweight touch panel is provided. A display panel includes first and second substrates, between which a liquid crystal layer is provided. The first substrate is provided with a pixel electrode, a common electrode, a transistor, and the like of a liquid crystal panel. The second substrate is provided with a touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a first electrode, two second electrodes, a third electrode, and a fourth electrode. The first electrode and the two second electrodes are formed using a first conductive film. The third and fourth electrodes are formed using a second conductive film. The first electrode extends in a first direction. The two second electrodes are provided along a second direction with the first electrode therebetween. The third electrode electrically connects the two second electrodes to each other. The fourth electrode faces the pixel electrode and the common electrode with the liquid crystal layer therebetween.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a first substrate;

a second substrate;

a liquid crystal layer;

a pixel electrode;

a common electrode; and

a touch sensor comprising a first electrode, two second electrodes, a third electrode, and a fourth electrode,

wherein the first substrate and the second substrate face each other,

wherein the liquid crystal layer is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate,

wherein the first substrate is provided with the pixel electrode and the common electrode,

wherein alignment of the liquid crystal layer is controlled by an electric field between the pixel electrode and the common electrode,

wherein the second substrate is provided with the touch sensor,

wherein the first electrode and the two second electrodes are formed using a first conductive film,

wherein the third electrode and the fourth electrode are formed using a second conductive film,

wherein the first electrode and the two second electrodes are each a mesh electrode having a plurality of openings,

wherein the first electrode extends in a first direction,

wherein the two second electrodes are provided along a second direction with the first electrode therebetween,

wherein the two second electrodes are electrically connected to each other by the third electrode,

wherein the third electrode comprises a region overlapping with the first electrode, and

wherein the fourth electrode is provided to face the pixel electrode and the common electrode with the liquid crystal layer therebetween.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the second conductive film comprises a metal oxide film.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein the second substrate is provided with a light-blocking layer and a color filter, and

wherein, in each of the first electrode and the two second electrodes, a portion formed using the first conductive film overlaps with the light-blocking layer and the plurality of openings overlap with the color filter.

4. The touch panel according to claim 3, wherein the light-blocking layer and the color filter are provided in a same layer.

5. The touch panel according to claim 3,

wherein the light-blocking layer and the color filter are provided in different layers, and

wherein the color filter is provided between the fourth electrode and the second substrate.

6. The touch panel according to claim 3,

wherein the light-blocking layer and the color filter are provided in different layers, and

wherein the color filter is provided between the fourth electrode and the liquid crystal layer.

7. The touch panel according to claim 3,

wherein the color filter comprises at least three coloring layers, and

wherein the light-blocking layer comprises a stack of the coloring layers of at least two colors.

8. A touch panel comprising:

a first substrate;

a pixel electrode over the first substrate;

a liquid crystal layer over the pixel electrode;

a touch sensor over the liquid crystal layer, the touch sensor comprising a first electrode, two second electrodes, a third electrode and a fourth electrode,

wherein the two second electrodes are each a mesh electrode comprising a plurality of openings,

wherein the first electrode is provided between the two second electrodes,

wherein the two second electrodes are electrically connected to each other by the third electrode,

wherein the third electrode and the first electrode overlap with each other, and

wherein the fourth electrode and the pixel electrode overlap with each other.

9. The touch panel according to claim 8, wherein each of the third electrode and the fourth electrode comprises a metal oxide film.

10. The touch panel according to claim 8, further comprising a light-blocking layer and a color filter, and

wherein the two second electrodes and the light-blocking layer overlap with each other, and

wherein the plurality of openings and the color filter overlap with each other.

11. The touch panel according to claim 10, wherein the light-blocking layer and the color filter are provided in a same layer.

12. The touch panel according to claim 10,

wherein the light-blocking layer and the color filter are provided in different layers, and

wherein the color filter is provided over the fourth electrode.

13. The touch panel according to claim 10,

wherein the light-blocking layer and the color filter are provided in different layers, and

wherein the color filter is provided under the fourth electrode.

14. The touch panel according to claim 10,

wherein the color filter comprises at least three coloring layers, and

wherein the light-blocking layer comprises a stack of the coloring layers of at least two colors.