FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT, TOUCH PANEL, DISPLAY PANEL AND DISPLAY

• US 20090315855A1
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: KIMURA, Kiyohiro, OIKAWA, Harutoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,519,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0394 Conductor crossing over a hole in the substrate or a gap between two separate substrate parts
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09472 Recessed pad for surface mounting recess in pad H05K2201/09745; Recessed electrode of component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09481 Via in pad; Pad over filled via if used for surface mounting H05K1/113
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09563 Metal filled via plated through-hole filled with insulating material H05K2201/0959
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/097 Alternating conductors, e.g. alternating different shaped pads, twisted pairs; Alternating components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09781 Dummy conductors, i.e. not used for normal transport of current; Dummy electrodes of components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0979 Redundant conductors or connections, i.e. more than one current path between two points
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1572 Processing both sides of a PCB by the same process; Providing a similar arrangement of components on both sides; Making interlayer connections from two sides
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/281 by means of a preformed insulating foil H05K3/284 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/323 by applying an anisotropic conductive adhesive layer over an array of pads
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/361 Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/421 Blind plated via connections H05K3/422, H05K3/423 and H05K3/425 take precedence

Abstract

A flexible printed circuit includes: a flexible substrate extending from a first end section to a second end section, and having an opening or a notch in proximity to the first end section; a first wiring layer extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to avoid the opening or the notch; a second wiring layer extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to block the opening or the notch; a first conductive member being formed opposed to the flexible substrate in relation to the first wiring layer and at least in proximity to the first end section in a region opposed to the first wiring layer, and being electrically connected to the first wiring layer; and a second conductive member electrically connected to the second wiring layer via the opening or the notch.

Claims

1. A flexible printed circuit comprising:

a flexible substrate including a first end section and a second end section, extending from the first end section to the second end section, and having an opening or a notch in proximity to the first end section;

a first wiring layer being in contact with one surface of the flexible substrate, and extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to avoid the opening or the notch;

a second wiring layer being in contact with the surface where the first wiring layer is in contact of the flexible substrate, and extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to block the opening or the notch;

a first conductive member being formed opposed to the flexible substrate in relation to the first wiring layer and at least in proximity to the first end section in a region opposed to the first wiring layer, and being electrically connected to the first wiring layer; and

a second conductive member being formed opposed to the first conductive member in relation to the flexible substrate and at least in proximity to the first end section in a region opposed to the second wiring layer, and being electrically connected to the second wiring layer via the opening or the notch.

2. The flexible printed circuit according to claim 1, wherein

the opening or the notch is formed by irradiation with a laser beam or a cutting process.

3. The flexible printed circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

plating films between the first wiring layer and the first conductive member and between the second wiring layer and the second conductive member.

4. The flexible printed circuit according to claim 3, further comprising:

a metal paste layer between the plating film arranged on a side close to the second conductive member of the second wiring layer and the second conductive member.

5. The flexible printed circuit according to claim 1, wherein

the first conductive member and the second conductive member both are made of anisotropic conductive films having electrical conductivity in a thickness direction and insulation in a direction orthogonal to the thickness.

6. The flexible printed circuit according to claim 1, further comprising:

an insulating layer between the flexible substrate and the first conductive member and in a space between the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer.

7. The flexible printed circuit according to claim 1, wherein

the first conductive member is formed in a region opposed to the first wiring layer, and

an insulating layer is included in a single plane where the first conductive member is arranged and at least in a region opposed to the second wiring layer.

8. A touch panel comprising:

a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate arranged so as to be opposed to each other with a space in between;

a first connection terminal arranged on a surface opposed to the second transparent substrate of the first transparent substrate;

a second connection terminal arranged on a surface opposed to the first transparent substrate of the second transparent substrate; and

a flexible printed circuit arranged in a space between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and in a region including regions opposed to the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal,

wherein the flexible printed circuit includes;

a flexible substrate including a first end section sandwiched between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and a second end section, extending from the first end section to the second end section, and having an opening or a notch in proximity to the first end section,

a first wiring layer being in contact with one surface of the flexible substrate, and extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to avoid the opening or the notch,

a second wiring layer being in contact with the surface where the first wiring layer is in contact of the flexible substrate, and extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to block the opening or the notch,

a first conductive member being formed opposed to the flexible substrate in relation to the first wiring layer and at least in proximity to the first end section in a region opposed to the first wiring layer, and being electrically connected to the first wiring layer and the first connection terminal, and

a second conductive member being formed opposed to the first conductive member in relation to the flexible substrate and at least in proximity to the first end section in a region opposed to the second wiring layer, and being electrically connected to the second wiring layer and the second connection terminal via the opening or the notch.

9. The touch panel according to claim 8, further comprising:

an adhesive layer bonding the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate together with the flexible printed circuit in between,

wherein the adhesive layer has a notch corresponding to the flexible printed circuit in an outer edge region thereof.

10. A display panel comprising:

a pixel substrate including a pixel region where pixel circuits are formed in a matrix form and a terminal region where connection terminals connected to the pixel circuits, respectively, are formed around the pixel region; and

a flexible printed circuit fixed to the pixel substrate,

wherein the flexible printed circuit includes;

a flexible substrate including a first end section fixed to the pixel substrate and a second end section, extending from the first end section to the second end section, and having an opening or a notch in proximity to the first end section,

a first wiring layer being in contact with one surface of the flexible substrate, and extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to avoid the opening or the notch,

a second wiring layer being in contact with the surface where the first wiring layer is in contact of the flexible substrate, and extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to block the opening or the notch,

a first conductive member being formed opposed to the flexible substrate in relation to the first wiring layer and at least in proximity to the first end section in a region opposed to the first wiring layer, and being electrically connected to the first wiring layer, and

a second conductive member being formed opposed to the first conductive member in relation to the flexible substrate and at least in proximity to the first end section in a region opposed to the second wiring layer, and being electrically connected to the second wiring layer via the opening or the notch.

11. A display comprising:

a display panel including an image display surface; and

a touch panel arranged on the image display surface,

wherein the touch panel includes;

a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate arranged so as to be opposed to each other with a space in between,

a first connection terminal arranged on a surface opposed to the second transparent substrate of the first transparent substrate,

a second connection terminal arranged on a surface opposed to the first transparent substrate of the second transparent substrate, and

a flexible printed circuit arranged in a space between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and in a region including regions opposed to the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal, and

the flexible printed circuit includes;

a flexible substrate including a first end section sandwiched between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and a second end section, extending from the first end section to the second end section, and having an opening or a notch in proximity to the first end section,

a first wiring layer being in contact with one surface of the flexible substrate, and extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to avoid the opening or the notch,

a second wiring layer being in contact with the surface where the first wiring layer is in contact of the flexible substrate, and extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to block the opening or the notch,

a first conductive member being formed opposed to the flexible substrate in relation to the first wiring layer and at least in proximity to the first end section in a region opposed to the first wiring layer, and being electrically connected to the first wiring layer and the first connection terminal, and

a second conductive member being formed opposed to the first conductive member in relation to the flexible substrate and at least in proximity to the first end section in a region opposed to the second wiring layer, and being electrically connected to the second wiring layer and the second connection terminal via the opening or the notch.

12. A display comprising:

a display panel including an image display surface,

wherein the display panel includes;

a pixel substrate including a pixel region where pixel circuits are formed in a matrix form corresponding to the image display surface and a terminal region where connection terminals connected to the pixel circuits, respectively, are formed around the pixel region; and

a flexible printed circuit fixed to the pixel substrate, and

the flexible printed circuit includes;

a flexible substrate including a first end section fixed to the pixel substrate and a second end section, extending from the first end section to the second end section, and having an opening or a notch in proximity to the first end section,

a first wiring layer being in contact with one surface of the flexible substrate, and extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to avoid the opening or the notch,

a second wiring layer being in contact with the surface where the first wiring layer is in contact of the flexible substrate, and extending from the first end section to the second end section so as to block the opening or the notch,

a first conductive member being formed opposed to the flexible substrate in relation to the first wiring layer and at least in proximity to the first end section in a region opposed to the first wiring layer, and being electrically connected to the first wiring layer, and

a second conductive member being formed opposed to the first conductive member in relation to the flexible substrate and at least in proximity to the first end section in a region opposed to the second wiring layer, and being electrically connected to the second wiring layer via the opening or the notch.