Complementary touch panel electrodes

• US 10,437,394 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Frey, Matthew H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard, Patrick N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fox, Joseph P
• Application Number:
  US14/852,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20160004358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

A multi-layer touch panel having an upper and a lower electrode that cross over one another. The electrode pattern for either electrode at the cross over area is complementary to the other electrode at the cross over area.

Claims

1. A touch sensor comprising first and second electrodes each comprising an interconnected mesh of conductive traces, the first electrode comprising all upper conductive traces in the touch sensor and the second electrode comprising all lower conductive traces in the touch sensor, the first and second electrodes crossing over one another in a cross-over area, the first and second electrodes having variable mesh densities in the cross-over area complementary to one another across the entire cross-over area.

2. The touch sensor of claim 1 further comprising a dielectric layer disposed between the first and second electrodes.

3. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the conductive traces in each of the first and second electrodes form a random network of conductive traces.

4. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the conductive traces in each of the first and second electrodes form a pseudo-random network of conductive traces.

5. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the conductive traces in each of the first and second electrodes form a regular network of conductive traces.

6. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the conductive traces in each of the first and second electrodes comprises silver.

7. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the conductive traces in each of the first and second electrodes are curved.

8. The touch sensor of claim 1, wherein the conductive traces in each of the first and second electrodes are straight.

9. A touch sensor comprising first and second electrodes each comprising an interconnected mesh of conductive traces, the first electrode comprising all upper conductive traces in the touch sensor and the second electrode comprising all lower conductive traces in the touch sensor, the first and second electrodes crossing over one another in a cross-over area, each of the first and second electrodes comprising a two-dimensional mesh in the cross-over area, wherein in the cross-over area:

a first region of the first electrode having higher mesh density overlays a first region of the second electrode having lower mesh density;

a second region of the first electrode having lower mesh density overlays a second region of the second electrode having higher mesh density; and

a third region of the first electrode overlays a third region of the second electrode, the two third regions having equal mesh densities.

10. A touch sensor comprising first and second electrodes each comprising interconnected mesh of conductive traces, the first electrode comprising all upper conductive traces in the touch sensor and the second electrode comprising all lower conductive traces in the touch sensor, the first and second electrodes crossing over one another in a cross-over area, the first electrode having a uniform mesh density across the entire cross-over area, the second electrode having a variable mesh density across the entire cross-over area.