Touch panel, method for making the same, and display device adopting the same

• US 20090153506A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Inventors: Liu, Chang-Hong, Fan, Shou-Shan, Jiang, Kai-Li, Liu, Liang
• Granted Patent: US 8,248,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

A touch panel includes a first electrode plate, and a second electrode plate separated from the first electrode plate. The first electrode plate includes a first substrate and a first conductive layer located on a lower surface of the first substrate. The second electrode plate includes a second substrate and a second conductive layer located on an upper surface of the second substrate. At least one of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer includes a carbon nanotube structure comprised of carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube structure are arranged isotropically, arranged along a same direction or arranged along different directions.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a first electrode plate comprising a first substrate and a first conductive layer located on a lower surface of the first substrate; and

a second electrode plate separated from the first electrode plate and comprising a second substrate and a second conductive layer located on an upper surface of the second substrate;

wherein at least one of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer comprises a carbon nanotube structure comprised of carbon nanotubes, the carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube structure being arranged isotropically, arranged along a same direction or arranged along different directions.

2. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube structure are parallel to a major surface of the carbon nanotube layer.

3. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein an angle between a primary alignment direction of the carbon nanotubes and the surface of the carbon nanotube structure is 0°

to approximately 15°

.

4. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein groups of the carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube structure are joined end to end by van der Waals attractive force between the ends.

5. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the carbon nanotube structure is in an approximate range from 0.5 nanometers to 100 micrometers.

6. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube structure are selected from the group consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes, double-walled carbon nanotubes, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, diameters of the single-walled carbon nanotubes are in an approximate range from 0.5 nanometers to 50 nanometers, diameters of the double-walled carbon nanotubes are in an approximate range from 1 nanometer to 50 nanometers, and diameters of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes are in an approximate range from 1.5 nanometers to 50 nanometers.

7. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electrode plate further comprises two first-electrodes located on the first conductive layer, each of the first-electrodes being oriented parallel to a second direction and electrically connected to the first conductive layer.

8. The touch panel as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second electrode plate further comprises two second-electrodes located on the second conductive layer, each of the second-electrodes being oriented parallel to a first direction and electrically connected to the second conductive layer.

9. The touch panel as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

10. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an insulative frame located between the second electrode plate and the first electrode plate.

11. The touch panel as claimed in claim 10, wherein a plurality of dot spacers are located between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

12. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a shielding layer located on a lower surface of the second substrate of the second electrode plate, wherein material of the shielding layer is at least one item selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxides, antimony tin oxides, and carbon nanotube films.

13. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transparent protective film located on an upper surface of the first electrode plate, wherein material of the transparent protective film is at least one item selected from the group consisting of silicon nitrides, silicon dioxides, benzocyclobutenes, polyester films, and polyethylene terephthalates.

14. A method for making a touch panel, the method comprising:

(a) providing at least one array of carbon nanotubes, a first substrate, and a second substrate;

(b) pressing the at least one array of carbon nanotubes using a pressing device to form a carbon nanotube structure,

(c) forming a first electrode plate on the first substrate and a second electrode plate on the second substrate; and

(d) locating two first-electrodes on opposite sides of the first electrode plate and two second-electrodes on opposite sides of the second electrode plate, and spacing the first electrode plate a distance from the second electrode plate such that the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer face each other.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein (b) further comprises:

(b1) providing a pressing device, and pressing the array of carbon nanotubes to form a carbon nanotube film;

(b2) cutting the carbon nanotube film into sizes of the first substrate and the second substrate; and

(b3) adhering the cut carbon nanotube films on the first substrate and the second substrate respectively to form the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein (b) further comprises:

(b1′

) placing first surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate on the array of carbon nanotubes;

(b2′

) providing a pressing device, and pressing the array of carbon nanotubes by pressing second surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate to form a carbon nanotube structure on the first surface of each of the first and second substrates; and

(b3′

) cutting away excess carbon nanotube structure to form the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein in (b), the pressing device is a planar pressure head and the planar pressure head is used to press the array of carbon nanotubes along a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein in (b), the pressing device is a roller-shaped pressure head, and the roller-shaped pressure head is used to press the array of carbon nanotubes along a selected one of a same direction and different directions.

19. A display device comprising:

a touch panel comprising;

a first electrode plate comprising a first substrate and a first conductive layer located on a lower surface of the first substrate; and

a second electrode plate separated from the first electrode plate and comprising a second substrate and a second conductive layer located on an upper surface of the second substrate;

wherein at least one of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer comprises a carbon nanotube structure comprised of carbon nanotubes, the carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube structure being arranged isotropically, arranged along a same direction, or arranged along different directions; and

a display element opposite and adjacent to the touch panel.

20. The display device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a first controller, a central processing unit, and a second controller;

the display element is connected to the first controller, and the central processing unit is connected to the second controller.

21. The display device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the touch panel is spaced from the display element with a distance.

22. The display device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the touch panel is located on the display element.

23. The display device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a passivation layer located on a surface of the touch panel, and the material of the passivation layer being selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride and silicon dioxide.