Touch Panel

• US 20180067586A1
• Filed: 11/08/2017
• Published: 03/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shishido, Hideaki, Hirakata, Yoshiharu, Kubota, Daisuke
• Granted Patent: US 10,564,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1333 Constructional arrangements; Manufacturing methodsG02F1/135, G02F1/136 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• 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 3/0445 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

To provide a thin touch panel, a touch panel with high visibility, a lightweight touch panel, or a touch panel with low power consumption. A pair of conductive layers included in a capacitive touch sensor have a mesh shape including a plurality of openings. Furthermore, a material blocking visible light is provided to overlap with a region between two display elements in a plan view; thus, a light-blocking layer can be obtained. Furthermore, the pair of conductive layers included in the touch sensor are provided between a pair of substrates included in the touch panel, and a conductive layer capable of supplying a constant potential is provided between a circuit which drives a display element and the pair of conductive layers.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a first substrate;

first to fourth conductive layers over the first substrate; and

a liquid crystal layer,

wherein the fourth conductive layer is apart from the third conductive layer on a same plane,

wherein the liquid crystal layer is over the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer,

wherein the second conductive layer is over the liquid crystal layer,

wherein the first conductive layer is over the second conductive layer,

wherein the first conductive layer is configured to block visible light and has a mesh shape comprising a plurality of openings,

wherein the second conductive layer is configured to transmit visible light and has a portion overlapping with the first conductive layer, a portion overlapping with the third conductive layer, and a portion overlapping with the fourth conductive layer,

wherein the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer are each configured to reflect visible light,

wherein the third conductive layer comprises a portion overlapping with one of the plurality of openings,

wherein the fourth conductive layer comprises a portion overlapping with another one of the plurality of openings, and

wherein part of the first conductive layer is between the third conductive layer and the fourth conductive layer in a plan view.