TOUCH PANEL

• US 20130301196A1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Miyazaki, Shinichi, Inada, Kiyoshi, Noma, Mikihiro
• Application Number:
  US13/976,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20130301196A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/02 Arrangements of circuit components or wiring on supporting structure

Abstract

Provided is a touch panel having a panel substrate that has overall flexibility and that has a panel part, whereupon electrode pads are disposed, and a protrusion part, whereupon terminals are disposed, formed integrally with each other, obtaining a configuration whereby the connection section between the panel part and the protrusion part is not easily damaged. A touch panel (2) is provided with: a substrate (11) that has overall flexibility and that has a touch panel substrate part (11a) and a connection part (11b) formed integrally with each other; a plurality of electrode pads (21a, 22a) that are disposed upon the touch panel substrate part (11a); and lead-out wiring lines (24) that externally output, from the connection part (11b), signals generated by the electrode pads (21a, 22a). To improve strength, a protective layer (14) is disposed on the operation screen side of the connection section between the touch panel substrate part (11a) and the connection part (11b).

Claims

1. A touch panel, comprising:

a panel substrate having flexibility, the panel substrate having a panel part and a protrusion part formed integrally with the panel part;

a plurality of electrode pads disposed on the panel part so as to be capable of detecting a touch location;

lead-out wiring lines disposed on the panel part and the protrusion part, the lead-out wiring lines being electrically connected with the electrode pads and externally outputting signals generated in the electrode pads from the protrusion part; and

a transparent protective layer for improving strength disposed on an operation screen side of a connection section between the panel part and the protrusion part.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer is also formed on the panel part.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the electrode pads are made of indium tin oxide or indium gallium zinc oxide.

4. The touch panel according to claim 1, further comprising a protective plate disposed overlapping the protrusion part in the thickness direction.