Display panel having force sensing function

• US 10,367,040 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lin, Chang-Ting, Lai, Chung-Wen, Jiang, Kuan-Hsien, Wan, Chang-Chun, Lee, Kuo-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Menz, Laura M
• Application Number:
  US15/437,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20170250229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• 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 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1214 comprising a plurality of TFTs formed on a non-semiconducting substrate, e.g. driving circuits for AMLCDs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/42384 for thin film field effect transistors, e.g. characterised by the thickness or the shape of the insulator or the dimensions, the shape or the lay-out of the conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78618 characterised by the drain or the source properties, e.g. the doping structure, the composition, the sectional shape or the contact structure silicide contacts, electrodes in general H01L29/458
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78675 with normal-type structure, e.g. with top gate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one organic light-emitting element covered by group H10K50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/1213 the pixel elements being TFTs
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/10 Substrates, e.g. flexible substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 77/111 Flexible substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

A display panel, which an also function as a touch input device, includes a substrate and at least one TFT on the substrate. Such a multi-function panel also includes a force sensor sensitive to pressure of touches on the panel. The force sensor includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer on the substrate.

Claims

1. A display panel comprising:

a substrate;

at least one thin film transistor (TFT) on the substrate; and

a force sensor configured to detect touch force on the display panel;

wherein the force sensor comprises a first conductive layer on the substrate and a second conductive layer;

wherein the first conductive layer is located between the at least one TFT and the substrate;

the second conductive layer is located at a side of the substrate away from the at least one TFT.

2. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer comprises a plurality of electrode units spaced apart from each other.

3. The display panel of claim 2, wherein the plurality of electrodes is arranged in an array.

4. The display panel of claim 2, wherein the plurality of electrodes is used as electrodes for sensing touch position.

5. The display panel of claim 2, wherein the at least one TFT comprises a channel layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode;

the channel layer defines an active region;

a projection of the active region or the gate electrode on the substrate does not overlap any projections of the plurality of electrode units on the substrate.

6. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one TFT comprises a channel layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode;

the display panel further comprises a buffer layer on the substrate, a first insulative layer, a second insulative layer, and a planar layer;

the channel layer is formed on the buffer layer;

the first insulative layer is formed on the buffer layer and covers the channel layer;

the gate electrode is formed on the first insulative layer;

the second insulative layer is formed on the first insulative layer and covers the gate electrode;

both the source electrode and the drain electrode are formed on the second insulative layer and extend through the second insulative layer and the first insulative layer to electrically couple to the channel layer.

7. The display panel of claim 6, wherein the first conductive layer is located between the buffer layer and the substrate.

8. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one TFT comprises a channel layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode;

the first conductive layer is used as the gate electrode of the at least one of the TFT.

9. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the at least one TFT comprises a channel layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode;

the first conductive layer is also used as the source electrode and the drain electrode of the at least one of the TFT.

10. The display panel of claim 9, wherein a projection of the gate electrode of the at least one of the TFT on the substrate does not overlap any projections of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the at least one TFT on the substrate.

11. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the second conductive layer is a continuous layer.

12. The display panel of claim 1, wherein an elastic layer is located between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

13. The display panel of claim 12, wherein the elastic layer is capable of deforming when a touch force is applied to the display panel;

and a distance between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer varies.

14. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are located at opposite sides of the substrate.

15. The display panel of claim 1, wherein the display panel is an organic display panel.

16. The display panel of claim 15, wherein the display panel further comprises a plurality of light emitting units formed at a side of the driving module away from the substrate.