Plastic substrate for information devices and method for making same

• US 20020031622A1
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Getz, Catherine A., Ippel, Scott C.
• Application Number:
  US09/946,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20020031622A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/1.6
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/00 Functional layers of liquid crystal optical display excluding electroactive liquid crystal layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/06 Substrate layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133305 Flexible substrates, e.g. plastics, organic film
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

An interactive information device for use as a touch panel, touch screen, digitizer panel, or pen-input device, or as a substrate for an information display device such as a liquid crystal display, incorporates a transparent, rigid substrate formed from cyclic olefin copolymer which is lightweight, dimensionally stable, stiff, durable and abrasion, break and flex resistant. The interactive information device includes a first, transparent, electrically conductive layer supported by the rigid substrate, a flexible, transparent substrate at least partially aligned with the rigid substrate and having a second, transparent, electrically conductive layer on a surface thereof, the second conductive layer being spaced from the first conductive layer. A plurality of transparent insulating spacer members/dots are positioned on one or both of the conductive layers to allow the conductive layers to engage when the flexible substrate is pressed. A method for forming such an interactive information device is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An interactive information device comprising:

at least one rigid, transparent substrate formed from a polymer material;

a first transparent, electrically conductive layer supported by a surface of said rigid substrate;

a flexible transparent substrate at least partially aligned with said rigid substrate, said flexible substrate having a surface which faces said surface of said rigid substrate, and a second transparent, electrically conductive layer on said surface of said flexible substrate;

said flexible substrate being spaced from said rigid substrate to provide a gap between said conductive layers;

a plurality of insulating spacer members on at least one of said electrically conductive layers whereby said flexible substrate may be flexed by pressing to engage said electrically conductive layers between said spacer members; and

wherein said rigid substrate comprises a cyclic olefin copolymer.

2. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said first conductive layer comprises a conductive coating deposited on said surface of said rigid substrate.

3. The interactive information device of claim 2 wherein said conductive coating is selected from the group consisting of tin oxide, indium tin oxide and doped tin oxide.

4. The interactive information device of claim 3 wherein said conductive coating has a sheet resistance in the range of between about 80 and 1200 ohms/square.

5. The interactive information device of claim 4 wherein said conductive coating has a specific resistivity of less than about 2.5XE-4 ohm.cm.

6. The interactive information device of claim 2 wherein said second conductive layer comprises a conductive coating deposited on said flexible substrate surface.

7. The interactive information device of claim 6 wherein said flexible substrate is formed from a polymeric film.

8. The interactive information device of claim 7 wherein said second conductive coating is selected from the group consisting of tin oxide, indium tin oxide and doped tin oxide.

9. The interactive information device of claim 8 wherein said conductive coating has a sheet resistance in the range of between about 80 and 1200 ohms/square.

10. The interactive information device of claim 9 wherein said conductive coating has a specific resistivity of less than about 2.5XE-4 ohm.cm.

11. The interactive information device of claim 1 including another, flexible, transparent substrate at least partially aligned with said rigid substrate, said first transparent, electrically conductive layer including a conductive coating on a surface of said another flexible transparent substrate, said surface of said another flexible transparent substrate facing said second transparent conductive layer, said rigid substrate forming a supporting backplate for said another flexible substrate.

12. The interactive information device of claim 11 wherein said another flexible substrate is formed from a polymeric film.

13. The interactive information device of claim 12 wherein said second conductive layer comprises a conductive coating, said conductive coating being selected from the group consisting of tin oxide, indium tin oxide and doped tin oxide.

14. The interactive information device of claim 13 wherein each of said conductive coatings has a sheet resistance in the range of between about 80 and 1200 ohms/square.

15. The interactive information of claim 14 wherein each of said conductive coatings has a specific resistivity of less than about 2.5XE-4 ohm.cm.

16. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a specific gravity below about 1.2.

17. The interactive information device of claim 16 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a coefficient of thermal expansion is less than about 6.5XE-5 per degree K.

18. The interactive information device of claim 17 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a percentage of water absorption by weight of less than about 0.2%.

19. The interactive information device of claim 18 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a heat distortion temperature of greater than about 120 degrees C.

20. The interactive information device of claim 19 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a flexular modulus of at least about 300 Kpsi.

21. The interactive information device of claim 20 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has an IZOD impact strength of at least about 0.4 ft-lb/in.

22. The interactive information device of claim 21 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a tensile strength of at least about 8 Kpsi.

23. The interactive information device of claim 22 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a visible light transmission measured photopically of at least about 90%.

24. The interactive information device of claim 23 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a clarity of at least about 98%.

25. The interactive information device of claim 24 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has haze of less than about 1.5%.

26. The interactive information device of claim 25 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate is at least one of melt processable, chemically resistant, resistant to acid etching and has low out-gassing properties.

27. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a coefficient of thermal expansion is less than about 6.5XE-5 per degree K.

28. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a percentage of water absorption by weight of less than about 0.2%.

29. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a heat distortion temperature of greater than about 120 degrees C.

30. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a flexular modulus of at least about 300 Kpsi.

31. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has an IZOD impact strength of at least about 0.4 ft-lb/in.

32. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a tensile strength of at least about 8 Kpsi.

33. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a visible light transmission measured photopically of at least about 90%.

34. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a clarity of at least about 98%.

35. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has haze of less than about 1.5%.

36. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate is at least one of melt processable, chemically resistant, resistant to acid etching and has low out-gassing properties.

37. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said insulating spacer members are transparent, are spaced from on another, and are located on said first transparent, electrically conductive layer.

38. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said insulating spacer members are transparent, are spaced from one another, and are located on said second transparent, electrically conductive layer.

39. The interactive information device of claim 1 wherein said insulating spacer members are transparent, are spaced from one another, and are located on both said first and second transparent, electrically conductive layers, said spacer members being spaced apart on said first and second conductive layers such that said spacer members allow said conductive layers to engage one another wherein said flexible transparent substrate is pressed.

40. An interactive information device comprising:

at least one rigid, transparent, conductively coated, plastic substrate having a transparent, electrically conductive coating on a surface thereof;

a flexible transparent substrate at least partially aligned with said surface of said rigid substrate and having a transparent, electrically conductive coating on a surface which faces said surface of said rigid substrate, said flexible substrate being spaced from said rigid substrate to provide a gap between said conductive coatings on said respective substrates;

a plurality of insulating spacer members on said electrically conductive coating on at least one of said substrates whereby said flexible substrate may be flexed by pressing to engage said electrically conductive coatings between spacer members; and

wherein said plastic substrate comprises a cyclic olefin copolymer.

41. The information device of claim 40 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer comprises an ethylene-norbornene copolymer.

42. A method for making an interactive information device comprising:

providing a rigid, transparent substrate formed from a polymeric material comprising a cyclic olefin copolymer;

providing a first transparent, electrically conductive layer supported by a surface of said rigid substrate;

providing a first flexible, transparent substrate having a second transparent electrically conductive layer on a surface thereof;

providing plurality of insulating spacer members on at least one of said first and second electrically conductive layers; and

securing said first flexible substrate to said rigid substrate such that said first and second electrically conductive layers on said respective substrates are at least partially aligned with one another and spaced from one another by a gap in which said spacer members are positioned whereby said flexible substrate may be flexed by pressing to engage said conductive layers.

43. The method of claim 42 including supporting said first, electrically conductive layer by coating a surface of said rigid substrate with said first transparent, electrically conductive layer.

44. The method of claim 43 including coating said rigid substrate surface by vapor deposition.

45. The method of claim 44 including activating the surface of said rigid substrate during said vapor deposition by at least one of heating, plasma activation, ion plating, and/or ion bombardment.

46. The method of claim 43 including deleting portions of at least one of said first and second electrically conductive layers to provide a touch screen pattern.

47. The method of claim 46 including deleting said portions of said one electrically conductive layer by a method selected from the following group consisting of conveyorized cleaning, ultrasonic cleaning, plasma cleaning, ozone cleaning, photolithography and laser deletion.

48. The method of claim 42 including supporting said first electrically conductive layer by providing a second flexible, transparent substrate having said first electrically conductive layer thereon, and securing said second flexible substrate to said surface of said rigid substrate.

49. The method of claim 42 including forming said spacer members by silk screening a transparent, polymeric material on at least said one electrically conductive layer, and curing said formed spacer members after silk screening.

50. The method of claim 49 including forming said spacer members by silk screening said transparent, polymeric material on both of said first and second electrically conductive layers, and curing said formed spacer members.

51. In an information display selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, a field emission display, an electroluminescent display, an electrochromic display and a cathode ray tube display, the improvement comprising:

a rigid substrate formed from cyclic olefin copolymer polymeric material.

52. The information display of claim 51 wherein said substrate is at least one of lightweight, dimensionally stable, durable, break resistant, and flex resistant.

53. The information display of claim 51 including a transparent electrically conductive layer on a surface thereof.

54. The information display of claim 51 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a specific gravity below about 1.2.

55. The information display of claim 54 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a coefficient of thermal expansion is less than about 6.5XE-5 per degree K.

56. The information display of claim 55 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a percentage of water absorption by weight of less than about 0.2%.

57. The information display of claim 56 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a heat distortion temperature of greater than about 120 degrees C.

58. The information display of claim 57 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a flexular modulus of at least about 300 Kpsi.

59. The information display of claim 58 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has an IZOD impact strength of at least about 0.4 ft-lb/in.

60. The information display of claim 59 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a tensile strength of at least about 8 Kpsi.

61. The information display of claim 60 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a visible light transmission measured photopically of at least about 90%.

62. The information display of claim 61 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a clarity of at least about 98%.

63. The information display of claim 62 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has haze of less than about 1.5%.

64. The information display of claim 63 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate is at least one of melt processable, chemically resistant, resistant to acid etching and has low out-gassing properties.

65. The information display of claim 51 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a coefficient of thermal expansion is less than about 6.5XE-5 per degree K.

66. The information display of claim 51 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a percentage of water absorption by weight of less than about 0.2%.

67. The information display of claim 51 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a heat distortion temperature of greater than about 120 degrees C.

68. The information display of claim 51 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a flexular modulus of at least about 300 Kpsi.

69. The information display of claim 51 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has an IZOD impact strength of at least about 0.4 ft-lb/in.

70. The information display of claim 51 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a tensile strength of at least about 8 Kpsi.

71. The information display of claim 51 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a visible light transmission measured photopically of at least about 90%.

72. The information display of claim 51 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has a clarity of at least about 98%.

73. The information display of claim 51 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate has haze of less than about 1.5%.

74. The information display of claim 51 wherein said cyclic olefin copolymer of said rigid substrate is at least one of melt processable, chemically resistant, resistant to acid etching and has low out-gassing properties.