Touch screen sensor

• US 10,101,868 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2018
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Frey, Matthew H., Robrecht, Michael J., Jambor, George F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yodichkas, Aneeta
• Application Number:
  US16/043,778
• Time in Patent Office: 84 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/02 Local etching
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/14 Aqueous compositions
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A touch screen sensor includes a visible light transparent substrate and an electrically conductive micropattern disposed on or in the visible light transparent substrate. The micropattern includes a first region micropattern within a touch sensing area and a second region micropattern. The first region micropattern has a first sheet resistance value in a first direction, is visible light transparent, and has at least 90% open area. The second region micropattern has a second sheet resistance value in the first direction. The first sheet resistance value is different from the second sheet resistance value.

Claims

1. A touch screen sensor, comprising:

a visible light transparent substrate; and

a plurality of spaced apart substantially parallel electrically conductive mesh bars disposed on or in the visible light transparent substrate, each mesh bar comprising a plurality of first traces having a first width and defining a plurality of enclosed open areas, the mesh bar electrically connected to an electrically conductive second trace having a second width greater than the first width for making contact with an electronic device, the second trace comprising a first portion extending along a first direction and a second portion extending along a different second direction, wherein the mesh bar, and the first and second portions of the second trace include a same metal at approximately a same thickness.

2. The touch screen sensor of claim 1, wherein for each mesh bar, the first width of the first traces is less than or equal to 10 micrometers.

3. The touch screen sensor of claim 1, wherein each mesh bar comprises random cell shapes, irregular polygons, or a combination thereof.

4. The touch screen sensor of claim 1 further comprising a larger feature disposed on or in the visible light transparent substrate, wherein the larger feature is not transparent and has a width between 25 micrometers and 1 mm, and wherein the mesh bars and the larger feature include a same metal at approximately a same thickness.

5. The touch screen sensor of claim 1, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.