TOUCH SENSING UNIT AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20120222948A1
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Lin, Heng-Ju, Chang, Wen-Yang
• Granted Patent: US 8,618,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/600
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

A touch sensing unit and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The touch sensing unit includes a first substrate, a first electrode, a second substrate, a second electrode, a supporting layer, a third electrode and a sensing layer. The first electrode is disposed on the first substrate. The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate. The first electrode is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The second electrode is disposed on the second substrate, and the first electrode contacts the second electrode through a pressing motion. The supporting layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The third electrode is disposed on the second substrate. The sensing layer has constant impedance and is disposed on the second substrate between the second electrode and the third electrode to electrically connect the second electrode and the third electrode.

Claims

1. A touch sensing unit, comprising:

a first substrate;

a first electrode, disposed on the first substrate;

a second substrate, disposed opposite to the first substrate, wherein the first electrode is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a second electrode, disposed on the second substrate, wherein the first electrode contacts the second electrode through a pressing motion;

a supporting layer, disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate;

a third electrode, disposed on the second substrate; and

a sensing layer, having constant impedance, and disposed on the second substrate between the second electrode and the third electrode to electrically connect the second electrode and the third electrode.

2. The touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cover layer, disposed on the second substrate and covering the sensing layer.

3. The touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second electrode comprises a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern, and the first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern are electrically connected to each other by contacting with the first electrode through the pressing motion.

4. The touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second substrate includes a through hole, the first conductive pattern is disposed on a first surface of the second substrate, the second conductive pattern is disposed on the first surface of the second substrate and extended to a second surface of the second substrate through the through hole, the sensing layer and the third electrode are disposed on the second surface of the second substrate, and the first surface faces the first substrate and the second surface is opposite to the first surface.

5. The touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second conductive pattern is surrounded and separated from the first conductive pattern.

6. The touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a cover layer, disposed on the second surface of the second substrate and covering the sensing layer.

7. The touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first conductive pattern, the second conductive pattern, the third electrode, and the sensing layer are disposed on a first surface of the second substrate, and the first surface faces the first substrate.

8. The touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 7, wherein the supporting layer comprises a plurality of spacers, and one of the spacers is disposed on the first surface of the second substrate.

9. The touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first conductive pattern is connected to an anode, and the third electrode is connected to a cathode.

10. The touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second electrode, the third electrode, and the sensing layer are disposed on a first surface of the second substrate, and the first surface faces the first substrate.

11. The touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the supporting layer comprises a plurality of spacers, and one of the spacers is disposed on and covers the sensing layer.

12. The touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first electrode is connected to an anode, and the third electrode is connected to a cathode.

13. A method for manufacturing a touch sensing unit, comprising:

forming a first electrode on a first substrate;

forming a second electrode and a third electrode on a second substrate;

forming a supporting layer between the first substrate and the second substrate;

forming a sensing layer between the second electrode and the third electrode to electrically connect the second electrode and the third electrode, wherein the sensing layer has constant impedance; and

assembling the first substrate and the second substrate, such that the first electrode is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the first electrode contacts the second electrode through a pressing motion.

14. The method for manufacturing a touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 13, further comprising forming a cover layer on the second substrate to cover the sensing layer.

15. The method for manufacturing a touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second electrode comprises a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern, and the first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern are electrically connected to each other by contacting with the first electrode through the pressing motion.

16. The method for manufacturing a touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the method of foaming the second electrode and the third electrode comprises:

forming the first conductive pattern and the second conductive pattern on the second substrate;

forming the third electrode on the second substrate; and

forming the sensing layer between the second conductive pattern and the third electrode to electrically connect the second conductive pattern and the third electrode.

17. The method for manufacturing a touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 16, wherein the second substrate includes a through hole, the first conductive pattern is disposed on a first surface of the second substrate, the second conductive pattern is disposed on the first surface of the second substrate and extended to a second surface of the second substrate through the through hole, the sensing layer and the third electrode are disposed on the second surface of the second substrate, the first surface faces the first substrate after the assembling step, and the second surface is opposite to the first surface.

18. The method for manufacturing a touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second conductive pattern is surrounded and separated from the first conductive pattern.

19. The method for manufacturing a touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first conductive pattern, the second conductive pattern, the third electrode, and the sensing layer are formed on a first surface of the second substrate, and the first surface faces the first substrate after the assembling step.

20. The method for manufacturing a touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 19, wherein the supporting layer comprises a plurality of spacers, and one of the spacers is formed on and covers the sensing layer.

21. The method for manufacturing a touch sensing unit as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second electrode, the third electrode, and the sensing layer are disposed on a first surface of the second substrate, and the first surface faces the first substrate after the assembling step.