TOUCH PANEL AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20070273568A1
• Filed: 05/10/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Kenichi, Tanabe, Koji, Fujii, Shoji
• Granted Patent: US 7,820,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/144
• 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: Y10S 323/904 Touch systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 Composite [nonstructural laminate]

Abstract

A touch panel includes a light-transmittable upper substrate, a light-transmittable upper resistor layer on a lower surface of the upper substrate, a light-transmittable lower substrate, a light-transmittable lower resistor layer on an upper surface of the lower substrate, an adhesive layer on an upper surface of the upper substrate, and a light-transmittable plate on the adhesive layer. The upper substrate is made of material having oxygen and nitrogen removed therefrom. The lower resistor layer faces the upper resistor layer by a distance. The light-transmittable plate disables oxygen and nitrogen to pass through the plate substantively. Even being used in high temperatures, this touch panel does not produce an air bubble in the adhesive layer, hence allowing a user to clearly view a display device through the touch panel.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

an upper substrate being light-transmittable and having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper substrate being made of material having oxygen and nitrogen removed therefrom;

an upper resistor layer being light-transmittable and being provided on the lower surface of the upper substrate;

a lower substrate being light-transmittable and having an upper surface and a lower surface;

a lower resistor layer being light-transmittable and being provided on the upper surface of the lower substrate, the lower resistor layer facing the upper resistor layer by a distance;

an adhesive layer provided on the upper surface of the upper substrate; and

a plate being light-transmittable and being provided on the adhesive layer, the plate disabling oxygen and nitrogen to pass through the plate substantively.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein

the material of the upper substrate has the oxygen and nitrogen replaced with water, and

the plate allows molecules of water to pass through the plate.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the plate comprises a polarizing plate.

4. A touch panel comprising:

an upper substrate being light-transmittable and having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper substrate being made of material containing oxygen and nitrogen;

an upper resistor layer being light-transmittable and being provided on the lower surface of the upper substrate;

a lower substrate being light-transmittable and having an upper surface and a lower surface;

a lower resistor layer being light-transmittable and being provided on the upper surface of the lower substrate, the lower resistor layer facing the upper resistor layer by a distance;

a gas barrier layer made of material disabling oxygen and nitrogen to pass through the material;

an adhesive layer provided on the gas barrier layer; and

a plate being light-transmittable and being provided on the adhesive layer, the plate disabling oxygen and nitrogen to pass through the plate substantially.

5. The touch panel according to claim 4, wherein the material of the gas barrier layer comprises inorganic oxide.

6. The touch panel according to claim 4, wherein the material of the gas barrier layer comprises inorganic nitride.

7. The touch panel according to claim 4, wherein the plate comprises a polarizing plate.

8. A method of manufacturing a touch panel, comprising:

removing oxygen and nitrogen from an upper substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper substrate being light-transmittable and being made of material which has contained the oxygen and the nitrogen;

providing an upper resistor layer on the lower surface of the upper substrate, the upper resistor layer being light-transmittable; and

after said removing of the oxygen and the nitrogen from the upper substrate, assembling a touch panel which includes

a lower substrate being light-transmittable and having an upper surface and a lower surface,

a lower resistor layer being light-transmittable and being provided on the upper surface of the lower substrate, the lower resistor layer facing the upper resistor layer by a distance,

an adhesive layer provided on the upper surface of the upper substrate, and

a plate being light-transmittable and being provided on the adhesive layer, the plate disabling oxygen and nitrogen to pass through the plate substantially.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said removing of the oxygen and the nitrogen from the upper substrate comprises heating the upper substrate.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein

said removing of the oxygen and the nitrogen from the upper substrate comprises replacing the oxygen and the nitrogen contained in the upper substrate with water, and

the plate allows molecules of water to pass through the plate.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said replacing the oxygen and the nitrogen contained in the upper substrate with the water comprises humidifies the upper substrate,

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein said removing of the oxygen and the nitrogen from the upper substrate is executed after said providing of the upper resistor layer on the lower surface of the upper substrate.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the plate comprises a polarizing plate.