Touch screen with polarizer and method of making same

• US 20010046604A1
• Filed: 02/02/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Geaghan, Bernard O.
• Granted Patent: US 6,395,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/412
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133528 Polarisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]

Abstract

A topsheet for a touch screen includes a support layer having a touch surface and a second surface opposite the touch surface; a polarizer layer having a first surface and a second surface with the first surface of the polarizer in contact with the second surface of said support layer; and a first conductive layer in contact with the second surface of said polarizer.

Claims

1. A topsheet for a touch screen comprising

a support layer having a touch surface and a second surface opposite the touch surface;

a polarizer layer having a first surface and a second surface with the first surface in contact with the second surface of said support layer; and

a first conductive layer in contact with the second surface of said polarizer.

2. The topsheet structure of

claim 1

wherein the support layer is a polyester sheet.

3. The topsheet structure of

claim 1

wherein the support layer is a polycarbonate sheet.

4. The topsheet structure of

claim 1

wherein the polarizer layer includes a K type polarizer.

5. The topsheet structure of

claim 1

including a first hardcoat layer in contact with the second surface of said polarizer layer and said first conductive layer is in contact with said first hardcoat layer.

6. The topsheet structure of

claim 5

wherein said first hardcoat layer has a roughened finish.

7. The topsheet structure of

claim 5

including an adhesion promoting agent in contact with the second surface of said polarizer layer.

8. The topsheet structure of

claim 1

including a second hardcoat layer in contact with the touch surface of said support layer.

9. The topsheet structure of

claim 1

wherein said first conductive layer includes a plurality of discrete sections of a conductive material.

10. The topsheet structure of

claim 1

wherein the touch screen is a resistive film type touch screen and said first conductive layer engages a second conductive layer of the touch screen.

11. A method of manufacturing a topsheet for a touch screen comprising

providing a support layer having a touch surface and a second surface opposite the touch surface;

laminating a polarizer layer to the touch surface of said support layer, said polarizer layer having a top surface and a bottom surface; and

coating the bottom surface of said polarizer layer with at least a conductive layer.

12. The method of manufacturing a topsheet of

claim 11

further comprising applying a first hardcoat layer to the bottom surface of said polarizer layer prior to said coating step.

13. The method of manufacturing a topsheet of

claim 12

further comprising applying an adhesion promoting agent to the bottom surface of said polarizer prior to the step of applying said first hardcoat layer.

14. The method of manufacturing a topsheet of

claim 12

wherein said hardcoat layer includes a rough surface.

15. The method of manufacturing a topsheet of

claim 11

further comprising coating the touch surface of said support layer with a second hardcoat layer.

16. The method of manufacturing a topsheet of

claim 12

wherein said coating step is a vacuum sputtering process.

17. The method of manufacturing a topsheet of

claim 16

further comprising plasma etching said first hardcoat layer prior to said vacuum sputtering process.

18. The method of manufacturing a topsheet of

claim 11

further comprising applying at least one thin film metal oxide layer to the bottom surface of said polarizer layer prior to said coating step.

19. The method of manufacturing a topsheet of

claim 12

further comprising applying at least one thin film metal oxide layer to said first hardcoat layer prior to the coating step.

20. The method of manufacturing a topsheet of

claim 11

wherein said coating step is a vacuum sputtering process.

21. The method of manufacturing a topsheet of

claim 20

further comprising plasma etching said polarizer layer prior to said coating step.