TOUCH PANEL

• US 20140152618A1
• Filed: 02/06/2014
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Ando, Masamichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,348,473 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 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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

Abstract

A touch panel that includes a flat membrane-like piezoelectric film provided with a first principal surface and a second principal surface which are opposed to each other. The touch panel includes first and second capacitance detection sub-electrodes on the first principal surface and the second principal surface of the piezoelectric film. The first and second capacitance detection sub-electrodes detect a touched position. The touch panel includes first and second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrodes on the first principal surface and the second principal surface of the piezoelectric film. The first and second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrodes detect a piezoelectric voltage according to an amount pressed into the piezoelectric film.

Claims

1. A touch panel, comprising:

a piezoelectric film having a first principal surface and a second principal surface that are opposed to each other;

a capacitance detection electrode arranged adjacent to one of the first principal surface or the second principal surface of the piezoelectric film and configured to detect a touched position; and

a piezoelectric voltage detection electrode arranged adjacent each of the first principal surface and the second principal surface of the piezoelectric film and configured to detect a piezoelectric voltage in accordance with an amount pressed into the piezoelectric film.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric film is a flat membrane-like piezoelectric film.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric film comprises polylactic acid having been stretch-treated at least in a uniaxial direction.

4. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein

the capacitance detection electrode includes:

a plurality of first capacitance detection sub-electrodes which extend along a first direction parallel with the first principal surface and the second principal surface, and are arranged at intervals in a second direction parallel with the first principal surface and the second principal surface and intersect with the first direction; and

a plurality of second capacitance detection sub-electrodes which extend along the second direction, and are arranged at intervals in the first direction, the piezoelectric voltage detection electrode includes;

a first piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode on the first principal surface; and

a second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode on the second principal surface, and

the first capacitance detection sub-electrode and the first piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode are on the same plane.

5. The touch panel according to claim 4, wherein the first piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode is located between individual first capacitance detection sub-electrodes of the plurality of first capacitance detection sub-electrodes.

6. The touch panel according to claim 4, wherein the first capacitance detection sub-electrode is on the first principal surface and the second capacitance detection sub-electrode is on the second principal surface.

7. The touch panel according to claim 6, wherein

the second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode is located between individual second capacitance detection sub-electrodes of the plurality of second capacitance detection sub-electrodes, and

the first piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode and the second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode are substantially uniformly distributed substantially over the first and second principal surfaces, respectively, of the piezoelectric film so as to be opposed to each other.

8. The touch panel according to claim 4, further comprising:

a first protective layer on the plurality of first capacitance detection sub-electrodes and the first piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrodes.

9. The touch panel according to claim 8, further comprising:

a second protective layer on the plurality of second capacitance detection sub-electrodes and the second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrodes.

10. The touch panel according to claim 4, wherein

the first capacitance detection sub-electrode and the second capacitance detection sub-electrode each include a first section and a second section that are alternately connected, the first section being wider than the second section.

11. The touch panel according to claim 10, wherein the second section of the first capacitance detection sub-electrode and the second section of the second capacitance detection sub-electrode are arranged so as to oppose each other.

12. The touch panel according to claim 11, wherein

the first section of the first capacitance detection sub-electrode and the first section of the second capacitance detection sub-electrode are arranged so as to not oppose each other, and

a gap having a predetermined width is located between both the first sections as viewed from a direction orthogonal to the first and second principal surfaces of the piezoelectric film, and

the opposed portion of the first piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode and the second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode is located within the gap.

13. The touch panel according to claim 12, wherein

the first section of the first capacitance detection sub-electrode and the first section of the second capacitance detection sub-electrode are in a substantially square shape having an oblique line at substantially 45°

with respect to each of the first direction and the second direction,

the first piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode has;

a linear section extending in the first direction along the second section of the first capacitance detection sub-electrode; and

an inclined section inclined at substantially 45°

with respect to the first direction along the first section of the first capacitance detection sub-electrode,

the second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode has;

a linear section extending in the second direction along the second section of the second capacitance detection sub-electrode; and

an inclined section inclined at substantially 45°

with respect to the second direction along the first section of the second capacitance detection sub-electrode, and

the inclined section of the first piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode and the inclined section of the second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrode are opposed to each other with the piezoelectric film therebetween.

14. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric voltage detection electrode is located in each partial region obtained by dividing a plane of the piezoelectric film into four regions.

15. The touch panel according to claim 14, wherein

the piezoelectric voltage detection electrode is configured such that

an electrode in a first partial region and an electrode in a second partial region on the first principal surface are spaced from each other,

an electrode in a third partial region and an electrode in the fourth partial region on the first principal surface are continuous with each other,

an electrode in the first partial region and an electrode in the third partial region on the second principal surface are continuous with each other, and

an electrode in the second partial region and an electrode in the fourth partial region on the second principal surface are continuous with each other.