INPUT DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20120249453A1
• Filed: 02/22/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: TSUKAMOTO, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 8,933,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

A touch panel includes a transparent panel, a decorative layer which is formed in a decorative region on a first surface of the transparent panel, a transparent electrode which is formed from a transparent input region of the first surface to a surface of the decorative layer, and a wiring layer which is formed to extend to the surface of the decorative layer and electrically connected to the transparent electrode.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a transparent base material having a first surface;

a decorative layer formed on the first surface in a decorative region thereof;

a transparent electrode formed on the first surface in a transparent input region thereof and extending onto a surface of the decorative layer; and

a wiring layer formed onto the surface of the decorative layer and electrically connected to the transparent electrode.

2. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein the decorative layer, the transparent electrode, and the wiring layer are printed layers.

3. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a protective layer provided over the first surface to cover the transparent electrode and the wiring layer.

4. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein an edge portion of the decorative layer which defines a boundary between the transparent input region and the decorative region has an inclined side surface having an upward slope in a direction away from the transparent input region, and the transparent electrode extends onto the inclined side surface.

5. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein the transparent base material is a transparent panel having an operating surface as a second surface opposite to the first surface.

6. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein the transparent electrode includes a plurality of electrodes having a single-layer structure.

7. A method of manufacturing an input device having a transparent base material, the method comprising:

printing a decorative layer on a first surface of the transparent base material in a decorative region thereof;

printing a transparent electrode on the first surface in a transparent input region thereof, the transparent electrode extending onto a surface of the decorative layer; and

printing a wiring layer on the surface of the decorative layer so as to be electrically connected to the transparent electrode.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising:

after printing the wiring layer, forming a protective layer over the first surface to cover the transparent electrode and the wiring layer.

9. The method according to claim 7,

wherein the transparent electrode includes a plurality of electrodes formed on the first surface with a single-layer structure.

10. The method according to claim 7,

wherein the decorative layer is printed such that an edge portion of the decorative layer which defines a boundary between the transparent input region and the decorative region has an inclined side surface having an upward slope in a direction away from the transparent input region,

and wherein the transparent electrode is printed so as to extend onto the inclined side surface of the decorative layer.