Touch panel and display device using the same

• US 20090167711A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Inventors: Fan, Shou-Shan, Jiang, Kai-Li, Liu, Liang
• Granted Patent: US 8,237,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0444 using a single conductive element covering the whole sensing surface, e.g. by sensing the electrical current flowing at the corners

Abstract

A touch panel includes a substrate, a transparent conductive layer and a plurality of electrodes. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The transparent conductive layer is formed on the first surface of the substrate. The transparent conductive layer includes a plurality of separated carbon nanotube structures. The electrodes are electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer. Each electrode is connected with the end of at least one of the carbon nanotube structures such that each carbon nanotube structure is in contact with at least two opposite electrodes. Further, a display device using the above-described touch panel is also included.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;

a transparent conductive layer formed on the first surface of the substrate, and the transparent conductive layer comprises a plurality of separated carbon nanotube structures; and

a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer, and each electrode is connected with the end of at least one of the carbon nanotube structures such that each carbon nanotube structure is in contact with at least two opposite electrodes.

2. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each electrode is connected with the end of only one of the carbon nanotube structures.

3. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each carbon nanotube structure comprises at least one carbon nanotube film that comprises of a plurality of carbon nanotubes arranged along a same direction.

4. The touch panel as claimed in claim 3, wherein each carbon nanotube structure comprises a plurality of carbon nanotube films stacked one on the other, and adjacent carbon nanotube films are combined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.

5. The touch panel as claimed in claim 4, wherein each carbon nanotube film comprises a plurality of successively oriented carbon nanotube segments joined end to end by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.

6. The touch panel as claimed in claim 3, wherein the carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube structures are selected from the group consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes, double-walled carbon nanotubes, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

7. The touch panel as claimed in claim 6, wherein a diameter of the single-walled carbon nanotubes is in an approximate range from 0.5 nanometers to 50 nanometers, a diameter of the double-walled carbon nanotubes is in an approximate range from 1 nanometer to 50 nanometers, and a diameter of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes is in an approximate range from 1.5 nanometers to 50 nanometers.

8. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the carbon nanotube structures approximately ranges from 0.5 nanometers to 100 micrometers.

9. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a distance between adjacent carbon nanotube structures approximately ranges from 5 nanometers to 1 millimeter.

10. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrodes are separately disposed on the transparent conductive layer.

11. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrodes are metal electrodes and adhered to the transparent conductive layer by a silver-based slurry.

12. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transparent protective layer disposed on the transparent conductive layer.

13. The touch panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein the material of the transparent protective layer is selected from a group consisting of silicon nitrides, silicon dioxides, benzocyclobutenes, polyester films, and polyethylene terephthalates.

14. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a shielding layer disposed on the second surface of the substrate, and a material of the shielding layer is selected from a group consisting of indium tin oxides, antimony tin oxides, and carbon nanotube films.

15. A display device comprising:

a touch panel comprising;

a substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;

a transparent conductive layer formed on the first surface of the substrate, and the transparent conductive layer comprises a plurality of separated carbon nanotube structures and

a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer, and each electrode is connected with the end of at least one of the carbon nanotube structures such that each carbon nanotube structure is in contact with at least two opposite electrodes; and

a display element opposite and adjacent to the touch panel.

16. The display device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a touch panel controller, a central processing unit, and a display element controller electrically connected to each other, the touch panel controller being connected to the touch panel, and the display element controller being connected to the display element.

17. The display device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the touch panel is spaced from the display element with a distance.

18. The display device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the touch panel is located on the display element.

19. The display device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a passivation layer disposed on the touch panel, and facing away from the substrate thereof, and the passivation layer being comprised of one of silicon nitrides and silicon dioxides.