ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONAL LAYER, PRODUCTION METHOD AND USE THEREOF

• US 20120193130A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PolyIC GmbH & Co. KG (Leonhard KURZ Stiftung & Company KG)
• Original Assignee: PolyIC GmbH & Co. KG (Leonhard KURZ Stiftung & Company KG)
• Inventors: Fix, Walter, Knobloch, Alexander, Ullmann, Andreas, Wörle, Jasmin
• Granted Patent: US 9,513,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/255
• 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: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

Transparent electrically conductive functional layer, production process and use thereof.

The invention concerns a transparent electrically conductive functional layer, in particular a laminate body. The invention makes it possible for the first time to produce thin conductive functional layers for use in resistive touch screens, for example in a printing process. By way of example with a coverage of 5% and adequate conductivity the functional layer still works at 95% transparent for the human eye.

Claims

1. An electrical functional layer in which conductive, non-transparent tracks (1) of a thickness in the range of 2 nm to 5 μ

m are arranged parallel to the surface of a transparent carrier (2), forming a pattern, such that embodied in the pattern is a conductor track spacing which ensures areal conductivity of the electrical functional layer with at the same time transparency for the human eye.

2. A functional layer according to claim 1 comprising two mutually oppositely disposed connecting electrodes (6).

3. A functional layer according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein there is provided a conductive additional layer (3) partially or over the full surface area for producing areal conductivity or areal conductivity in subregions.

4. A functional layer according to one of the preceding claims in which the spacing of the conductive tracks is in the range of 10 μ

m to 5 mm.

5. A functional layer according to one of the preceding claims which has individually electrically connectable electrical conductive segments (9).

6. A functional layer according to one of the preceding claims wherein the width of the individual segments is in the range of 500 μ

m to 15 mm.

7. A functional layer according to one of the preceding claims wherein the spacing of the segments (9) is in the range of 10 μ

m to 2 mm.

8. A functional layer according to one of the preceding claims in which the conductive tracks (1) form at least one intersection point (5).

9. A functional layer according to one of the preceding claims wherein the conductive tracks (1) are so arranged that the current flows away from the intersection point (5) uniformly in both directions.

10. A functional layer according to claim 6 wherein the width of the conductive tracks (1) is in the range of 1 μ

m to 40 μ

m.

11. A functional layer according to claim 5 wherein the segments (9) are strip-shaped.

12. A functional layer according to one of the preceding claims wherein connected upstream of the connecting electrodes (6) there is also a continuous or subdivided contact booster (12).

13. A functional layer according to claim 1 wherein the contact booster (12) is of conductive silver or carbon black.

14. A functional layer according to one of the preceding claims to which spacers (7) are applied.

15. A functional layer according to one of the preceding claims wherein an anti-reflection layer (4) is applied on the rear side of the functional layer.

16. A functional layer according to one of the preceding claims wherein the conductive tracks (1) are of metal, a metal alloy or a conductive paste.

19. Use of a functional layer according to one of claims 1 to 16 in resistive touch screens, solar cells, on transparent panes, in light emitting diodes, in mirrors and/or in displays.

17. A process for the production of a functional layer, wherein electrically conductive tracks are produced on a transparent substrate by structured application, coating and subsequent structuring, embossing and/or by printing.

18. A process according to claim 17 which is carried out continuously.