Single-layer projected capacitive touch panel and method of manufacturing the same

• US 20110234526A1
• Filed: 03/24/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions (Xiamen) Inc. (TPK Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: MasTouch Optoelectronics Technologies Co., Ltd. (TPK Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mi, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,686,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/30 Assembling printed circuits with electric components, e.g. with resistor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

A single-layer projected capacitive touch panel has a glass cover, a touch sensing circuit layer, an insulating ink layer, a conductive wire layer, an insulator layer, a conductive glue layer and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board. The touch sensing circuit layer, the insulating ink layer, the conductive wire layer, the insulator layer and the conductive glue layer are mounted on a circuit surface of the glass cover in sequence. The insulating ink layer covers the touch sensing circuit layer and has multiple through slots. Each through slot is filled with an electric conductor. The FPC is fastened on the conductive wire layer by a conductive glue layer. Therefore, the touch panel of the present invention is thinner, provides better penetrability and costs less than conventional projected capacitive touch panels.

Claims

1. A single-layer projected capacitive touch panel comprising:

a glass cover having an operating surface and a circuit surface;

a touch sensing circuit layer mounted on the circuit surface of the glass cover, having multiple edges and composed of single-layer touch sensing circuits;

an insulating ink layer formed on and covering the edges of the touch sensing circuit layer and having multiple through slots, and the through slots corresponding to and exposing the touch sensing circuit layer, and each through slot having an electric conductor therein;

a conductive wire layer formed on and covering the insulating ink layer so the conductive wire layer electronically connects the touch sensing circuit layer via the electric conductors in the through slots;

an insulator layer formed on and covering the conductive wire layer and having a breach, and the breach exposing partial conductive wire layer;

a conductive glue layer mounted on the breach of the insulator layer to cover the exposed conductive wire layer; and

a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board attached to the conductive glue layer to be mounted on the breach of the insulator layer and electronically connecting to the conductive wire layer via the conductive glue layer.

2. The single-layer projected capacitive touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein color of each electric conductor is similar to color of the insulating ink layer.

3. The single-layer projected capacitive touch panel as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a consolidating glue layer, wherein the consolidating glue layer is applied to and between the FPC board and the glass cover to enhance fastening the FPC board.

4. The single-layer projected capacitive touch panel as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a consolidating glue layer, wherein the consolidating glue layer is applied to and between the FPC board and the glass cover to enhance fastening the FPC board.

5. A method of manufacturing a single-layer projected capacitive touch panel comprising steps of:

providing a glass parent board divided into multiple glass covers, and each glass cover having an operating surface and a circuit surface;

forming touch sensing layers respectively on the glass covers, and each touch sensing layer partially formed on the circuit surface of each glass cover, having multiple edges and composed of single-layer touch sensing circuits;

forming insulating ink layers respectively on the touch sensing circuit layers, and each insulating ink layer formed on and near the edges of each touch sensing circuit layer to partially cover touch sensing circuit layer, and each insulating ink layer having multiple through slots corresponding to and exposing the touch sensing circuit layer covered by the insulating ink layer;

forming electric conductors into the through slots;

forming conductive wire layers respectively on the insulating ink layers to contact with the electric conductors so the conductive wire layers electronically connect respectively to the touch sensing circuit layers via the electric conductors;

forming insulator layers respectively on the conductive wire layers, and each insulator layer having a breach to expose partial conductive wire layer;

separating the glass parent board into multiple glass covers;

installing a FPC board at the breach and on the exposed conductive wire layer on one separated glass cover with a conductive glue layer so the FPC board electronically connects to the conductive wire layer via the conductive glue layer.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a step of applying a consolidating glue layer to and between the FPC board and the glass cover after the step of installing a FPC board at the breach and on the exposed conductive wire layer on one separated glass cover with a conductive glue layer.