Touch screen panel and fabrication method thereof

• US 10,324,578 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2018
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Do-Youb, Kwak, Won-Kyu, Jang, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Jr., Duane N
• Application Number:
  US16/011,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20180364836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04107 Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

A touch screen panel includes first and second sense cells on a same layer and coupling patterns that couple adjacent ones of the first sense cells and adjacent ones of the second sense cells to each other, respectively. The coupling patterns do not cross with each other, thereby improving the ability of the coupling patterns to withstand static electricity. A dummy line formed of a same material as the sense cells may be formed between the first and second sense cells, and the dummy line is electrically coupled to a guard ring located in an area outside of a display area of the touch screen panel, making it possible to overcome the effects of static electricity applied to the front surface of the touch screen panel as well as the side surface thereof.

Claims

1. A touch screen panel comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of metal patterns comprising first metal patterns and second metal patterns;

a plurality of first coupling patterns on the substrate;

a dielectric layer covering the first coupling patterns and the substrate, the dielectric layer having contact holes corresponding to end portions of the first coupling patterns;

a plurality of first sense cells arranged in a first direction on the dielectric layer and separated from the substrate by the dielectric layer, the first sense cells being arranged in a display area of the substrate;

a plurality of second sense cells arranged in a second direction on the dielectric layer, the second sense cells being arranged in the display area of the substrate; and

a dummy pattern on a same layer with the first sense cells and the second sense cells,

wherein a ground voltage is applied to the dummy pattern,

wherein adjacent ones of the first sense cells are electrically coupled to each other along the first direction by the first coupling patterns at where the first coupling patterns are exposed by the contact holes,

wherein at least two of the first coupling patterns electrically couple two adjacent ones of the first sense cells to each other,

wherein the first metal patterns are electrically coupled to the first sense cells, and the second metal patterns are electrically coupled to the second sense cells,

wherein the metal patterns are in a peripheral region of the display area of the substrate,

wherein the first coupling patterns and the metal patterns are formed in a same layer, and

wherein the end portions of the first coupling patterns are inclined at an oblique angle with respect to the first direction.

2. The touch screen panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of metal patterns on the substrate,

wherein the metal patterns are electrically coupled to at least one of the first sense cells and the second sense cells,

wherein the metal patterns are in a peripheral region of the display area of the substrate,

wherein the first coupling patterns and the metal patterns are formed in a same layer, and

wherein the end portions of the first coupling patterns are inclined at an oblique angle with respect to the first direction.

3. The touch screen panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a protecting layer covering the first sense cells and the second sense cells,

wherein the protecting layer comprises a dielectric material.

4. A touch screen panel comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of metal patterns comprising first metal patterns and second metal patterns;

a plurality of first coupling patterns on the substrate;

a plurality of first sense cells arranged in a first direction in a display area of the substrate;

a plurality of second sense cells arranged in a second direction in the display area of the substrate; and

a dummy pattern on a same layer with the first sense cells and the second sense cells,

wherein a ground voltage is applied to the dummy pattern,

wherein adjacent ones of the first sense cells are electrically coupled to each other along the first direction by the first coupling patterns,

wherein at least two of the first coupling patterns electrically couple two adjacent ones of the first sense cells to each other,

wherein the first metal patterns are electrically coupled to the first sense cells and the second metal patterns are electrically coupled to the second sense cells,

wherein the metal patterns are in a peripheral region of the display area of the substrate,

wherein the first coupling patterns and the metal patterns are formed in a same layer, and

wherein end portions of the first coupling patterns are inclined at an oblique angle with respect to the first direction.

5. The touch screen panel as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a dielectric layer covering the first coupling patterns and the substrate, the dielectric layer having contact holes corresponding to end portions of the first coupling patterns,

wherein adjacent ones of the first sense cells are electrically coupled to each other along the first direction by the first coupling patterns at where the first coupling patterns are exposed by the contact holes.

6. The touch screen panel as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a protecting layer covering the first sense cells and the second sense cells,

wherein the protecting layer comprises a dielectric material.

7. A touch screen panel comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of metal patterns comprising first metal patterns and second metal patterns;

a plurality of first coupling patterns on the substrate;

a dielectric layer covering the first coupling patterns and the substrate, the dielectric layer having contact holes corresponding to end portions of the first coupling patterns;

a plurality of first sense cells arranged in a first direction on the dielectric layer and separated from the substrate by the dielectric layer, the first sense cells being arranged in a display area of the substrate;

a plurality of second sense cells arranged in a second direction on the dielectric layer, the second sense cells being arranged in the display area of the substrate; and

a dummy pattern on a same layer with the first sense cells and the second sense cells, the dummy pattern disposed between the first sense cells and the second sense cells,

wherein adjacent ones of the first sense cells are electrically coupled to each other along the first direction by the first coupling patterns at where the first coupling patterns are exposed by the contact holes,

wherein at least two of the first coupling patterns electrically couple two adjacent ones of the first sense cells to each other,

wherein the first metal patterns are electrically coupled to the first sense cells and the second metal patterns are electrically coupled to the second sense cells,

wherein the metal patterns are in a peripheral region of the display area of the substrate,

wherein the first coupling patterns and the metal patterns are formed in a same layer, and

wherein the end portions of the first coupling patterns are inclined at an oblique angle with respect to the first direction.

8. The touch screen panel as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a protecting layer covering the first sense cells and the second sense cells,

wherein the protecting layer comprises a dielectric material.

9. The touch screen panel as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a guard ring on a same layer as the first coupling patterns and the metal patterns,

wherein the guard ring is in the peripheral region.

10. A touch screen panel comprising:

a display panel;

first sense cells arranged in a column on the display panel, the first sense cells being arranged in a display area of the display panel;

second sense cells arranged in a row on the display panel, electrically connected to each other along the row, and electrically isolated from the first sense cells, the second sense cells being arranged in the display area;

metal patterns comprising first metal patterns and second metal patterns; and

coupling patterns,

wherein two of the first sense cells are electrically connected along the column by one of the coupling patterns,

wherein the one of the coupling patterns connected to two of the first sense cells is in a rectangular shape and forms a slant angle to the column,

wherein the first metal patterns are electrically coupled to the first sense cells and the second metal patterns are electrically coupled to the second sense cells,

wherein the metal patterns are in a peripheral region of the display area of the display panel,

wherein the one of the coupling patterns and the metal patterns are formed in a same layer, and

wherein end portions of the one of the coupling patterns are inclined at an oblique angle with respect to parallel directions of the column or the row.

11. The touch screen panel of claim 10, wherein the display panel includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a stripe shape along the parallel directions of the column or the row.

12. The touch screen panel of claim 10, wherein the first sense cells are made of transparent conductive material.

13. The touch screen panel of claim 12, wherein the display panel includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a stripe shape along the parallel directions of the column and the row.

14. The touch screen panel of claim 11, further comprising a dielectric layer having a plurality of contact holes, the dielectric layer interposed between the coupling patterns and the first sense cells or the second sense cells.

15. The touch screen panel of claim 14, wherein the one of the coupling patterns is electrically connected to two of the first sense cells through the contact holes.

16. The touch screen panel of claim 15, wherein one of the coupling patterns connected to the two of the second sense cells forms a slant angle to the parallel directions of the column and the row.

17. The touch screen panel of claim 16, wherein the second sense cells and the first sense cells are made of transparent conductive material.

18. The touch screen panel of claim 15,

wherein the first sense cells and the second sense cells are made of transparent conductive material.

19. The touch screen panel of claim 18, wherein two of the second sensing cells are electrically connected by one of the connection patterns by one of the coupling patterns forming a slant angle to the column and the row.

20. The touch screen panel of claim 19, wherein the one of the coupling patterns connected to the two of the first sense cells forms a slant angle to the one of the coupling patterns connected to the two of the second sense cells.