Touch panel, electro-optic device, manufacturing method for electro-optic device and electronic device

• US 20070171212A1
• Filed: 01/24/2007
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Sakurai, Shinji, Funasaka, Tsukasa, Taguchi, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,031,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate

Abstract

A touch panel includes: a first touch panel substrate having a first surface and having a flexibility; a second touch panel substrate arranged a fixed distance away from the first touch panel substrate via spacers, having a second surface that faces the first surface; a position detecting section formed on the first surface, and detecting a position where the first touch panel substrate is being pressed based on changes in surface acoustic waves generated on the first surface; and a resin film formed on the second surface.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a first touch panel substrate having a first surface and having a flexibility;

a second touch panel substrate arranged a fixed distance away from the first touch panel substrate via spacers, having a second surface that faces the first surface;

a position detecting section formed on the first surface, and detecting a position where the first touch panel substrate is being pressed based on changes in surface acoustic waves generated on the first surface; and

a resin film formed on the second surface.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein a Young'"'"'s modulus of the resin film is less than or equal to 4 GPa.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein a material of the resin film is polyethylene.

4. An electro-optic device comprising an electro-optic panel and a touch panel, wherein

the electro-optic panel includes:

a first electro-optic panel substrate;

a second electro-optic panel substrate arranged so as to face to the first electro-optic panel substrate; and

an electro-optic substance sandwiched between the first electro-optic panel substrate and the second electro-optic panel substrate, and

the touch panel includes;

a second touch panel substrate arranged on an opposite surface of the first electro-optic panel substrate with respect to the electro-optic substance, and having a second surface;

a first touch panel substrate arranged a fixed distance away from the second touch panel substrate via spacers, having a first surface that faces the second surface and having a flexibility;

a position detecting section formed on the first surface, and detecting a position where the first touch panel substrate is being pressed based on changes in surface acoustic waves generated on the first surface; and

a resin film formed on the second surface.

5. The electro-optic device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a first polarization plate arranged on an opposite surface with respect to the first surface; and

a second polarization plate arranged on an opposite surface of the second electro-optic panel substrate with respect to the electro-optic substance, wherein

the electro-optic panel is a liquid crystal panel, and the electro-optic substance is a liquid crystal layer.

6. The electro-optic device according to claim 4, wherein

a Young'"'"'s modulus of the resin film is less than a Young'"'"'s modulus of the first touch panel substrate and the first polarization plate.

7. An electronic device comprising the electro-optic device according to claim 4.

8. An electro-optic device comprising an electro-optic panel and a touch panel, wherein

the electro-optic panel includes:

a first electro-optic panel substrate, having a second surface;

a second electro-optic panel substrate arranged so as to face to the first electro-optic panel substrate; and

an electro-optic substance sandwiched between the first electro-optic panel substrate and the second electro-optic panel substrate, and the touch panel includes;

a touch panel substrate arranged a fixed distance away from the first electro-optic panel substrate via spacers, and having a first surface that faces the second surface and having a flexibility;

a position detecting section formed on the first surface, and detecting a position where the touch panel substrate is being pressed based on changes in surface acoustic waves generated on the first surface; and

a resin film formed on the second surface.

9. The electro-optic device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a first polarization plate arranged on an opposite surface with respect to the first surface; and

a second polarization plate arranged on an opposite surface of the second electro-optic panel substrate with respect to the electro-optic substance, wherein

the electro-optic panel is a liquid crystal panel, and the electro-optic substance is a liquid crystal layer.

10. The electro-optic device according to claim 8, wherein

a Young'"'"'s modulus of the resin film is less than a Young'"'"'s modulus of the first touch panel substrate and the first polarization plate.

11. An electronic device comprising the electro-optic device according to claim 8.

12. A manufacturing method for an electro-optic device comprising:

preparing a pair of substrates;

affixing the substrates so as to sandwich an electro-optic substance therebetween, thereby forming an electro-optic substance substrate body including a plurality of electro-optic panels;

coating one surface of the electro-optic substance substrate body with a resin film material using a liquid phase method, and drying the resin film material, thereby forming a resin film;

after the forming of the resin film, dividing the electro-optic substance substrate body so as to obtain the individualized electro-optic panels, each of which has the resin film; and

arranging a touch panel via the spacers on the resin film of the on the electro-optic panel.