INPUT DEVICE

• US 20180046287A1
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Published: 02/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: WADA, Suguru, HASHIDA, Junji, SAWADA, Toru, MATSUDA, Atsushi, TAKAHASHI, Toru, SATO, Minoru
• Granted Patent: US 10,409,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/365 comprising polycarbonates
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/00 Layered products comprising a layer of a particular substance not covered by groups B32B11/00 - B32B29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

An input device that enables wires to be bent together with a base material without deteriorating translucency and conductivity of the wires has: a base material having translucency and flexibility; first electrode parts and second electrode parts, both having translucency, that are provided in a sensing region on the base material; and lead wires that are electrically continuous to the first electrode parts and second electrode parts, the lead wires extending, on the base material, from the sensing region to a peripheral region. A bent portion is provided in the peripheral region on the base material. Each lead wire has a flexible laminated body provided on the bent portion. The flexible laminated body has a first amorphous ITO layer provided on the base material, a conductive layer provided on the first amorphous ITO layer, and a second amorphous ITO layer provided on the conductive layer.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a base made of material having translucency and flexibility, the base having a sensing region, a peripheral region outside the sensing region, and a bent portion provided in the peripheral region;

a plurality of first electrodes having translucency, the plurality of first electrodes being arranged in the sensing region of the base material in a first direction;

a plurality of second electrodes having translucency, the plurality of second electrodes being arranged in the sensing region of the base in a second direction crossing the first direction; and

a plurality of lead wires that are electrically continuous to the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes, the plurality of lead wires extending from the sensing region to the peripheral region on the base, each of the plurality of lead wires including a flexible laminated body provided on the bent portion,

wherein the flexible laminated body includes;

a first amorphous ITO layer provided on the base;

a conductive layer provided on the first amorphous ITO layer; and

a second amorphous ITO layer provided on the conductive layer.

2. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein each of the plurality of lead wires includes:

a first wire part provided on a sensing region side of the bent portion; and

a second wire part provided on an opposite side of the sensing region with respect to the bent portion,

and wherein the flexible laminated body is positioned between the first wire part and the second wire part.

3. The input device according to claim 2, wherein the first wire part and second wire part have a respective connecting part connected to an end of the flexible laminated body, the connecting part having a surface facing the flexible laminated body, the surface including a crystallized ITO surface.

4. The input device according to claim 2, wherein the first wire part includes a crystallized ITO layer.

5. The input device according to claim 3, wherein the first wire part includes a crystallized ITO layer.

6. The input device according to claim 4, wherein the second wire part includes a crystallized ITO layer.

7. The input device according to claim 5, wherein the second wire part includes a crystallized ITO layer.

8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the first amorphous ITO layer is in contact with the base.

9. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the conductive layer includes a noble metal.

10. The input device according to claim 1, wherein a radius of curvature of the bent portion is 5 millimeters or less.

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

a linking part that links the plurality of first electrodes; and

a bridge connecting part provided between the plurality of second electrodes, the bridge connecting part crossing the linking part with an insulating layer interposed therebetween,

wherein the bridge connecting part is formed of the same material as the flexible laminated body.