Flexible capacitive touch sensor

• US 20020149572A1
• Filed: 04/17/2001
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Schulz, Stephen C., Chernefsky, Anthony F., Geaghan, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 6,819,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

A flexible, capacitive touch sensor, and a method of manufacturing a plurality of such touch sensors, are provided. The capacitive touch sensor comprises a thin, flexible, transparent, insulating substrate. A thin, flexible, transparent layer of resistive material is applied to one side of the substrate, and a thin, flexible, transparent, pressure-sensitive layer of adhesive material is applied to the substrate'"'"'s other side. A releasable sheet may cover this adhesive layer. A plurality of thin, flexible electrodes, electrical leads and conductive areas are applied to the resistive layer. A thin, flexible, transparent layer of protective material protects the touch sensor'"'"'s active touch area. Compounds may be added to this protective layer to enhance its conductivity and lubricity. A reel-to-reel process for manufacturing a plurality of such capacitive touch sensors also is described.

Claims

1. A flexible, capacitive touch sensor, comprising:

a thin, flexible, transparent substrate having a first side and a second side;

a first layer of resistive material on said first side, said first layer being thin, transparent, electrically continuous, flexible and covering on said first side a surface coincident with an active touch area for said touch sensor, said first layer being adapted to receive an electrical potential across said first layer within said active touch area and to transmit an electrical signal indicative of the X and Y position of a point at which an object contacts said active touch area.

2. A flexible, capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of thin, flexible electrodes in electrical communication with said first layer, said electrodes being positioned along the periphery of said active touch area and adapted to apply said electrical potential;

a plurality of thin, flexible, electrical leads in electrical contact with said electrodes for transmitting electrical signals to and from said electrodes;

a plurality of thin, flexible, conductive areas in electrical communication with said first layer, said conductive areas being positioned along the periphery of said active touch area and forming a pattern adapted to linearize throughout said first layer within said active touch area said electrical potential.

3. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, further comprising a second layer of protective material on one of said first layer and said second side, said second layer being thin, transparent, flexible and covering within said active touch area substantially the entire surface of one of said first layer and said second side.

4. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, wherein said first layer is continuous within said active touch area.

5. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, further comprising a third layer of adhesive material on one of said first layer and said second side, said third layer being thin, transparent and flexible.

6. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 5, wherein said third layer covers within said active touch area substantially the entire surface of one of said first layer and said second side.

7. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 6, wherein said adhesive material is pressure sensitive and further comprising a releasable sheet covering the exposed surface of said third layer.

8. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 2, wherein said electrodes, said leads and said conductive areas are on said first layer.

9. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 2, wherein said electrodes, said leads and said conductive areas are on said first side and said first layer covers said electrodes, said leads and said conductive areas.

10. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 2, further comprising a second layer of protective material on said first layer, said second layer being thin, transparent, flexible and covering within said active touch area substantially the entire surface of said first layer, and wherein said electrodes, said leads and said conductive areas are on said second layer.

11. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 2, wherein said leads are positioned along the periphery of said active touch area.

12. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 2, wherein said leads are on said second side.

13. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 2, further comprising a thin, flexible, insulating layer positioned along the periphery of said active touch area and over said first layer and said conductive areas, and wherein said electrical leads are on said insulating layer.

14. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, further comprising a controller for providing said electrical potential, receiving said electrical signal and providing a further electrical signal indicative of the X and Y position of a point at which an object contacts said active touch area.

15. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 2, further comprising a controller connected to said electrical leads for providing an alternating voltage to said electrodes, monitoring the amount of current flowing through each of said electrodes and, based upon said amounts, providing a further electrical signal indicative of the X and Y position of a point at which an object contacts said active touch area.

16. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, wherein said substrate is a sheet of polyethylene terephthalate having a thickness of between approximately 3 mils and approximately 9 mils.

17. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, wherein said substrate is a sheet of material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate polyester, polyvinyl chloride, polyether sulfone, polyimide, polyether imide, cellulose triacetate and polyethylene naphthalate.

18. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, wherein said resistive material is a transparent conductive oxide selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium oxide, silicon indium oxide, aluminum zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, antimony tin oxide and tin oxide.

19. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, wherein said resistive material is indium tin oxide.

20. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 19, wherein said first layer has a resistance of between 100 ohms per square and 4000 ohms per square.

21. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, wherein the thickness of said first layer is between 200 angstroms and 500 angstroms.

22. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, wherein said first layer comprises a first coating of a first resistive material on said first side and a second coating of a second resistive material on said first coating.

23. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 22, wherein said first resistive material is indium tin oxide and said second resistive material is tin oxide.

24. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 2, wherein said electrodes, said leads and said conductive areas comprise conductive ink.

25. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 24, wherein said conductive ink is silver epoxy.

26. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 2, wherein said substrate is rectangular in shape and said electrodes are positioned at the corners of said rectangle.

27. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 2, wherein said substrate comprises a tail extending from the periphery of said substrate, said electrical leads extend over said tail and further comprising an electrical connector attached to the end of said tail in electrical contact with said electrical leads.

28. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 3, wherein said protective material comprises an acrylate based resin.

29. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 3, wherein said protective material comprises compounds to reduce the coefficient of friction of said protective material.

30. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 29, wherein said compounds comprise one or both of organosiloxanes and fluorocarbons.

31. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 3, wherein said protective material comprises an inorganic material combined with one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an acrylate based resin, organosiloxane compounds and fluorocarbons.

32. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 31, wherein said inorganic material is silica.

33. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 3, wherein said second layer comprises a first coating of a first material on said first layer and a second coating of a second material on said first coating, the modulus of said first coating being less than the modulus of said second coating.

34. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 33, wherein said first material is a first polymer and said second material is a second polymer, the modulus of said first polymer being less than the modulus of said second polymer.

35. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 3, wherein said first layer is located at the neutral stress plane of said second layer, said first layer and said substrate.

36. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 3, wherein said second layer comprises a substance to impart a low level of conductivity to said second layer.

37. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 36, wherein said substance comprises inorganic conductive particles.

38. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 37, wherein said inorganic conductive particles comprise conductive oxide powder.

39. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 36, wherein said substance comprises an intrinsically conducting polymer.

40. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 39, wherein said intrinsically conducting polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyacetylene, polyphenylene vinylene, polyphenylene sulfide, poly p-phenylene and polyheterocycle vinylene.

41. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, further comprising a passive, flexible display and wherein said flexible, capacitive touch sensor is joined with said passive, flexible display.

42. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, further comprising an active, flexible display and wherein said flexible, capacitive touch sensor is joined with said active, flexible display.

43. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 3, wherein said second layer comprises a roughened surface to diffuse light reflected from said second layer.

44. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 43, wherein said second layer contains transparent particles to produce said roughened surface.

45. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 44, wherein said transparent particles comprise one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of organosiloxanes and fluorocarbons.

46. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 45, wherein said transparent particles protrude from the surface of said second layer to provide a lubricious contact surface for said second layer.

47. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 2, further comprising a coating of insulating ink over said electrodes, said leads and said conductive areas.

48. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 8, wherein the electrical continuity of said first layer is interrupted by thin, elongated lines between said conductive areas and said electrical leads to substantially electrically isolate said conductive areas from said electrical leads.

49. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, further comprising a fourth layer of conductive material on said second side to shield said sensor from electromagnetic radiation, said fourth layer being thin, electrically continuous, flexible, transparent and covering substantially the entire surface of said second side.

50. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, further comprising a thin, flexible, transparent, insulating layer on said first layer and a fourth layer of conductive material on said insulating layer, said fourth layer shielding said sensor from electromagnetic radiation and being thin, electrically continuous, flexible, transparent and covering substantially the entire surface of said first layer.

51. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a border area outside of said active touch area and one or both of information and graphics are printed on said border area.

52. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 1, further comprising one or both of printed graphics and printed information printed within said active touch area on one of said substrate and said first layer.

53. A flexible, capacitive touch sensor, comprising:

a thin, flexible, transparent substrate having a first side and a second side;

a first layer of resistive material on said first side, said first layer being thin, transparent, continuous, flexible and covering on said first side a surface coincident with an active touch area for said touch sensor;

a plurality of thin, flexible electrodes on said first layer, said electrodes being positioned along the periphery of said active touch area and adapted to apply an electrical potential across said first layer within said active touch area;

a plurality of thin, flexible, electrical leads on said first layer in electrical contact with said electrodes for transmitting electrical signals to and from said electrodes, said electrical leads being positioned along the periphery of said active touch area;

a plurality of thin, flexible, conductive areas on said first layer, said conductive areas being positioned along the periphery of said active touch area and forming a pattern adapted to linearize throughout said first layer within said active touch area said electrical potential;

a second layer of protective material on said first layer, said second layer being thin, flexible, transparent and covering within said active touch area substantially the entire surface of said first layer; and

wherein the continuity of said first layer is interrupted by thin, elongated lines between said conductive areas and said electrical leads to substantially electrically isolate said conductive areas from said electrical leads.

54. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, further comprising a third layer of adhesive material on said second side, said third layer being thin, flexible, transparent and pressure sensitive.

55. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 54, wherein said third layer covers substantially the entire surface of said second side.

56. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, further comprising a controller connected to said electrical leads for providing an alternating voltage to said electrodes, monitoring the amount of current flowing through each of said electrodes and, based upon said amounts, providing a signal indicative of the location of a point at which an object contacts said active touch area.

57. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, wherein said substrate is a sheet of material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate polyester, polyvinyl chloride, polyether sulfone, polyimide, polyether imide, cellulose triacetate and polyethylene naphthalate.

58. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, wherein said resistive material is a transparent conductive oxide selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium oxide, silicon indium oxide, aluminum zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, antimony tin oxide and tin oxide.

59. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, wherein said resistive material is indium tin oxide.

60. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, wherein said first layer comprises a first coating of a first resistive material on said front side and a second coating of a second resistive material on said first coating.

61. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 60, wherein said first resistive material is indium tin oxide and said second resistive material is tin oxide.

62. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, wherein said electrodes, said leads and said conductive areas comprise silver epoxy conductive ink.

63. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, wherein said substrate comprises a tail extending from the periphery of said substrate, said electrical leads extend over said tail and further comprising an electrical connector attached to the end of said tail in electrical contact with said electrical leads.

64. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, wherein said protective material comprises compounds to reduce the coefficient of friction of said protective material.

65. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 64, wherein said compounds comprise one or both of organosiloxanes and fluorocarbons.

66. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, wherein said protective material comprises an inorganic material combined with one or more materials selected from the group consisting of an acrylate based resin, organosiloxane compounds and fluorocarbons.

67. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 66, wherein said inorganic material is silica.

68. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, wherein said second layer comprises a first coating of a first material on said first layer and a second coating of a second material on said first coating, the modulus of said first coating being less than the modulus of said second coating.

69. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 68, wherein said first material is a first polymer and said second material is a second polymer, the modulus of said first polymer being less than the modulus of said second polymer.

70. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, wherein said second layer comprises a substance to impart a low level of conductivity to said second layer.

71. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 54, further comprising a releasable sheet covering the exposed surface of said third layer.

72. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, further comprising a flexible display and wherein said flexible capacitive touch sensor is joined with said flexible display.

73. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, wherein said second layer comprises a roughened surface to diffuse light reflected from said second layer.

74. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 73, wherein said second layer contains transparent particles to produce said roughened surface.

75. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 74, wherein said transparent particles comprise one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of organosiloxanes and fluorocarbons.

76. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 75, wherein said transparent particles protrude from the surface of said second layer to provide a lubricious contact surface for said second layer.

77. A capacitive touch sensor as in claim 53, further comprising a fourth layer of conductive material on said second side to shield said sensor from electromagnetic radiation, said fourth layer being thin, continuous, flexible, transparent and covering substantially the entire surface of said second side.

79. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 78, further comprising:

applying at one or more of said processing stations a second layer of protective material on one of said first layer and said second side, said second layer being thin, transparent, flexible and covering within each of said sections substantially the entire surface of one of said first layer and said second side; and

cutting at one or more of said processing stations thin, elongated lines in said first layer along the peripheries of each said section between said conductive areas and said electrical leads to substantially electrically isolate along said peripheries said conductive areas from said electrical leads.

80. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 78, wherein said first layer is continuous.

81. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 78, wherein said causing said substrate to pass said plurality of processing stations comprises winding said substrate from a holding reel onto a receiving reel.

82. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 78, further comprising applying at one or more of said processing stations a third layer of adhesive material on one of said second side and said first layer, said adhesive material being thin, transparent and flexible.

83. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 82, wherein said third layer is pressure sensitive and covers within each of said sections substantially the entire surface of one of said second side and said first layer.

84. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 78, wherein said substrate is a sheet of material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate polyester, polyvinyl chloride, polyether sulfone, polyimide, polyether imide, cellulose triacetate and polyethylene naphthalate.

85. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 78, wherein said resistive material is a transparent conductive oxide selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxide, indium oxide, silicon indium oxide, aluminum zinc oxide, indium zinc oxide, antimony tin oxide and tin oxide.

86. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 78, wherein said resistive material is indium tin oxide.

87. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 78, wherein said first layer is deposited by sputtering.

88. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 78, wherein said electrodes, said leads and said conductive areas comprise conductive ink.

89. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 88, wherein said electrodes, said leads and said conductive areas are deposited by screen printing.

90. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 88, wherein said electrodes, said leads and said conductive areas are deposited by ink-jet printing.

91. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 79, wherein said protective material comprises one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of organosiloxanes and fluorocarbons to reduce the coefficient of friction of said protective material.

92. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 79, wherein said second layer is deposited by spraying.

93. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible capacitive touch sensors as in claim 79, wherein said second layer is deposited by Gravure coating.

94. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 82, further comprising applying at one or more of said processing stations a releasable sheet over the exposed surface of said third layer.

95. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 78, further comprising applying at one or more of said processing stations a fourth layer of conductive material on said second side, said fourth layer being thin, continuous, flexible, transparent and covering within each of said sections substantially the entire surface of said second side.

96. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 79, wherein said cutting of said thin, elongated lines is effected by a laser.

97. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors as in claim 78, wherein said cutting through said first layer and said substrate is effected by a laser.

78. A method of manufacturing a plurality of flexible, capacitive touch sensors, comprising:

providing a thin, flexible, transparent substrate, said substrate having a first side, a second side and being sufficiently large for division into a plurality of separate sections, each of said sections corresponding to one of said capacitive touch sensors;

causing said substrate to pass a plurality of processing stations;

applying at one or more of said processing stations a first layer of resistive material on said first side, said first layer being thin, transparent, electrically continuous and flexible;

applying at one or more of said processing stations a plurality of thin, flexible electrodes in electrical communication with said first layer, said electrodes being positioned along the peripheries of each said section and adapted to apply within each said section an electrical potential across the portion of said first layer corresponding to said section;

applying at one or more of said processing stations a plurality of thin, flexible, electrical leads in electrical contact with said electrodes for transmitting electrical signals to and from said electrodes, said electrical leads being positioned along the peripheries of each said section;

applying at one or more of said processing stations a plurality of thin, flexible conductive areas in electrical communication with said first layer, said conductive areas being positioned along the peripheries of each said section and forming a pattern adapted to linearize within each said section the electrical potential across the portion of said first layer corresponding to said section; and

cutting at one or more of said processing stations through said first layer and said substrate along the peripheries of each said section to provide said plurality of capacitive touch sensors.

98. A flexible, capacitive touch sensor, comprising:

a thin, flexible, transparent substrate having a first side and a second side;

a first layer of resistive material on said first side, said first layer being thin, transparent, continuous, flexible and covering on said first side a surface coincident with an active touch area for said touch sensor;

a plurality of thin, flexible electrodes in electrical communication with said first layer, said electrodes being positioned along the periphery of said active touch area and adapted to apply an electrical potential across said first layer within said active touch area;

a plurality of thin, flexible, electrical leads in electrical contact with said electrodes for transmitting electrical signals to and from said electrodes;

a plurality of thin, flexible, conductive areas in electrical communication with said first layer, said conductive areas being positioned along the periphery of said active touch area and forming a pattern adapted to linearize within said active touch area said electrical potential throughout said first layer.

99. A flexible, transparent touch sensor, said touch sensor having an active touch area, said touch sensor comprising:

a thin, transparent, flexible layer of protective material covering said active touch area for protecting said active touch area, said protective material comprising a resin containing one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of organosiloxane compounds, fluorocarbon compounds and methyl compounds to reduce the coefficient of friction of said layer.

100. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 99, wherein said resin is an acrylate based resin.

101. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 99, wherein said resin is an organosiloxane based resin.

102. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 100, wherein said protective material further comprises an inorganic compound to increase said layer'"'"'s resistance to abrasion.

103. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 102, wherein said inorganic compound is silica.

104. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 99, wherein said layer comprises a first coating of a first material and a second coating of a second material on said first coating, the modulus of said first coating being less than the modulus of said second coating.

105. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 104, wherein said first material is a first polymer and said second material is a second polymer, the modulus of said first polymer being less than the modulus of said second polymer.

106. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 99, wherein said protective material further comprises a substance to impart a low level of conductivity to said layer.

107. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 106, wherein said substance comprises inorganic conductive particles.

108. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 107, wherein said inorganic conductive particles comprise conductive oxide powder.

109. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 106, wherein said substance comprises an intrinsically conducting polymer.

110. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 109, wherein said intrinsically conducting polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyacetylene, polyphenylene vinylene, polyphenylene sulfide, poly p-phenylene and polyheterocycle vinylene.

111. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 106, wherein said layer has a resistivity of between 0.1 ohm-cm and 10¹² ohm-cm.

112. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 99, wherein said layer comprises a roughened surface to diffuse light reflected from said layer.

113. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 112, wherein said layer contains transparent particles to produce said roughened surface.

114. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 113, wherein said transparent particles comprise one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of organosiloxanes and fluorocarbons.

115. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 114, wherein said transparent particles protrude from the surface of said second layer to provide a lubricious contact surface for said second layer.

116. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 99, wherein said touch sensor is a capacitive touch sensor.

117. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 99, wherein the thickness of said layer is between 1 micron and 3 microns.

119. A flexible, transparent capacitive touch sensor as in claim 118, wherein said resin is an acrylate based resin.

120. A flexible, transparent capacitive touch sensor as in claim 118, wherein said substance comprises inorganic conductive particles.

121. A flexible, transparent capacitive touch sensor as in claim 120, wherein said inorganic conductive particles comprise conductive oxide powder.

122. A flexible, transparent capacitive touch sensor as in claim 118, wherein said substance comprises an intrinsically conducting polymer.

123. A flexible, transparent capacitive touch sensor as in claim 122, wherein said intrinsically conducting polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyacetylene, polyphenylene vinylene, polyphenylene sulfide, poly p-phenylene and polyheterocycle vinylene.

124. A flexible, transparent capacitive touch sensor as in claim 118, wherein said layer has a resistivity of between 0.1 ohm-cm and 10¹² ohm-cm.

125. A flexible, transparent capacitive touch sensor as in claim 118, wherein said layer comprises a roughened surface to diffuse light reflected from said layer.

126. A flexible, transparent capacitive touch sensor as in claim 125, wherein said layer contains transparent particles to produce said roughened surface.

127. A flexible, transparent capacitive touch sensor as in claim 126, wherein said transparent particles comprise one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of organosiloxanes and fluorocarbons.

128. A flexible, transparent capacitive touch sensor as in claim 127, wherein said transparent particles protrude from the surface of said second layer to provide a lubricious contact surface for said second layer.

130. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 129, wherein said first material is a first polymer and said second material is a second polymer, the modulus of said first polymer being less than the modulus of said second polymer.

131. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 130, wherein said first polymer and said second polymer are acrylate based resins.

132. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 129, wherein one or both of said first material and said second material contain one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of organosiloxane compounds, fluorocarbon compounds and methyl compounds to reduce the coefficient of friction of said layer.

133. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 129, wherein said touch sensor is a capacitive touch sensor.

134. A flexible, transparent touch sensor as in claim 129, wherein the thickness of said layer is between 1 micron and 3 microns.

118. A flexible, transparent capacitive touch sensor, said touch sensor having an active touch area, said touch sensor comprising:

a thin, transparent, flexible layer of protective material covering said active touch area, said protective material comprising a resin containing a substance to impart a low level of conductivity to said layer.

129. A flexible, transparent touch sensor, said touch sensor having an active touch area, said touch sensor comprising:

a thin, transparent, flexible layer of protective material covering said active touch area for protecting said active touch area, said layer comprising a first coating of a first material and a second coating of a second material on said first coating, the modulus of said first coating being less than the modulus of said second coating.