TOUCH PANEL AND DISPLAY APPARATUS HAVING THE SAME

• US 20160209959A1
• Filed: 11/18/2015
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Jeongheon, Jeon, Byeongkyu, Park, Heewoong, Lee, Kangwon
• Granted Patent: US 9,798,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• 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

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image, a window member on the display panel and including a display area for transmitting the image, and a non-display area adjacent the display area, and a touch panel between the display panel and the window member, the touch panel including a touch sensor corresponding to the display area and including a sensor part and a connection part and a signal line including a connection part coupled to and overlapping the connection part of the touch sensor, and a line part coupled to the connection part of the signal line, wherein the connection part of the touch sensor and the connection part of the signal line define a plurality of mesh holes.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a display panel configured to display an image;

a window member on the display panel and comprising a display area for transmitting the image, and a non-display area adjacent the display area; and

a touch panel between the display panel and the window member, the touch panel comprising;

a touch sensor corresponding to the display area and comprising a sensor part and a connection part; and

a signal line comprising a connection part coupled to and overlapping the connection part of the touch sensor, and a line part coupled to the connection part of the signal line, wherein the connection part of the touch sensor and the connection part of the signal line define a plurality of mesh holes.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connection part of the touch sensor comprises a transparent conductive layer, and wherein the connection part of the signal line comprises a metal layer.

3. The display apparatus of claim 2, wherein the line part of the signal line comprises:

a transparent conductive layer integrally formed with the transparent conductive layer of the connection part of the touch sensor; and

a metal layer integrally formed with the metal layer of the connection part of the signal line.

4. The display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the metal layer of the connection part of the signal line is on the transparent conductive layer of the connection part of the touch sensor.

5. The display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the connection part of the signal line has substantially a same shape as the connection part of the touch sensor in the display area.

6. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the line part of the signal line corresponds to the non-display area.

7. The display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the window member comprises:

a base member; and

a black matrix at a surface of the base member and overlapping the non-display area.

8. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises:

a base member;

a circuit layer on the base member;

an organic light emitting device layer on the circuit layer; and

an encapsulation layer for sealing the organic light emitting device layer.

9. The display apparatus of claim 8, wherein the touch sensor and the signal line are directly on the encapsulation layer.

10. The display apparatus of claim 9, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises inorganic thin film layers and organic thin film layers.

11. The display apparatus of claim 8, wherein the touch panel further comprises a touch panel base member on the encapsulation layer, and wherein the touch sensor and the signal line are on the touch panel base member.

12. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor comprises:

first touch sensors on a base layer; and

second touch sensors on the base layer and insulated from the first touch sensors while crossing the first touch sensors.

13. The display apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of the first touch sensors comprises:

a first sensor part, which comprises first sensor patterns arranged in a first direction, and first connection patterns respectively connecting adjacent ones of the first sensor patterns; and

a first connection part, and

wherein each of the second touch sensors comprises;

a second sensor part, which comprises second sensor patterns arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction, and second connection patterns respectively connecting adjacent ones of the second sensor patterns; and

a second connection part.

14. The display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the touch sensor further comprises insulating patterns on the first connection patterns and spaced apart from each other, and

wherein the second connection patterns are on the insulating patterns.

15. The display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first sensor patterns and the first connection patterns are integrally formed,

wherein the second sensor patterns and the second connection patterns are integrally formed, and

wherein the first touch sensors are on a different layer than the second touch sensors.

16. A touch panel comprising:

a touch sensor comprising a transparent conductive layer; and

a signal line coupled to the touch sensor and comprising a connection part, and a line part,

wherein the connection part comprises;

a transparent conductive layer integrally formed with the transparent conductive layer of the touch sensor; and

a metal layer overlapping the transparent conductive layer of the connection part,

wherein the transparent conductive layer of the connection part and the metal layer of the connection part define a plurality of mesh holes.

17. The touch panel of claim 16, wherein the line part comprises:

a transparent conductive layer integrally formed with the transparent conductive layer of the connection part; and

a metal layer integrally formed with the metal layer of the connection part.

18. The touch panel of claim 17, wherein the metal layer of the connection part is on the transparent conductive layer of the connection part.

19. The touch panel of claim 17, wherein the metal layer of the connection part comprises molybdenum, silver, titanium, copper, aluminum, or an alloy thereof.

20. The touch panel of claim 19, wherein the transparent conductive layer of the connection part comprises indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, zinc oxide, indium tin zinc oxide, PEDOT, metal nanowire, or graphene.