TOUCHSCREEN

• US 20180107316A1
• Filed: 10/11/2017
• Published: 04/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated
• Inventors: HANARI, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 10,452,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/805 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/131 Interconnections, e.g. wiring lines or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/40 OLEDs integrated with touch screens

Abstract

A touchscreen includes an OLED, upper-layer inorganic films on the OLED, a lower-layer inorganic film stacked between the OLED and a substrate, and a touch sensor on the upper-layer inorganic film. The upper-layer inorganic films and the lower-layer inorganic film extend over a display area and a picture-frame area. A lower-layer wiring is formed of a conductive film stacked between the OLED and the substrate. A sensor wiring is formed of a conductive film on the upper-layer inorganic film. An inorganic film joining portion where the upper-layer inorganic films and the lower-layer inorganic film are directly joined together or joined together with another inorganic material interposed therebetween is provided in the picture-frame area. A contact portion that electrically connects the sensor wiring with the lower-layer wiring is provided, in a plan view, in the inorganic film joining portion or an area on the outside thereof.

Claims

1. A touchscreen comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the substrate and including an organic material layer, a lower electrode, and an upper electrode, the organic material layer including a light-emitting layer, the lower electrode and the upper electrode interposing the organic material layer therebetween;

an upper-layer inorganic film disposed, in a plan view, to extend over a display area where the plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged and an outer edge area located outside the display area, the upper-layer inorganic film being located on the light-emitting element;

a lower-layer inorganic film disposed to extend over the display area and the outer edge area and located between the light-emitting element and the substrate;

a lower-layer wiring located between the lower-layer inorganic film and the substrate;

a touch sensor disposed on the upper-layer inorganic film;

a sensor wiring disposed on the upper-layer inorganic film and connected to the touch sensor;

an inorganic film joining portion where the upper-layer inorganic film and the lower-layer inorganic film are directly joined together or joined together with another inorganic film interposed therebetween, the inorganic film joining portion being located in the outer edge area; and

a contact portion located, in a plan view, in the inorganic film joining portion or on a side of the inorganic film joining portion opposite to the display area, the contact portion electrically connecting the sensor wiring with the lower-layer wiring.

2. The touchscreen according to claim 1, wherein

the upper-layer inorganic film includes a first upper-layer inorganic film and a second upper-layer inorganic film,

the touchscreen includes a sealing film that is a multilayer film composed of the first upper-layer inorganic film, an organic film, and the second upper-layer inorganic film, the sealing film covering the plurality of light-emitting elements,

the first upper-layer inorganic film is stacked on a surface of the upper electrode in the display area,

the organic film is interposed between the first and second upper-layer inorganic films in the display area, and

the first and second upper-layer inorganic films overlap and are in direct contact with each other in the outer edge area.

3. The touchscreen according to claim 2, wherein

the touch sensor includes a sensor electrode composed of a conductive film stacked on a surface of the second upper-layer inorganic film.

4. The touchscreen according to claim 1, further comprising a connection terminal area where a connection terminal composed of the lower-layer wiring is disposed, the connection terminal area being adjacent to the outer edge area, wherein

the contact portion is provided in the connection terminal area or a portion of the outer edge area that is adjacent to the connection terminal area.

5. The touchscreen according to claim 4, wherein

a display terminal connecting to a display wiring used for driving the light-emitting element and a sensor terminal connecting to the sensor wiring via the contact portion are disposed as the connection terminal in the connection terminal area, and

the touchscreen includes a flexible printed circuit including an overlap with the connection terminal area and connected in common to the display terminal and the sensor terminal.

6. A touchscreen comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the substrate and including a lower electrode, a light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode;

a sealing film located on a side of the plurality of light-emitting elements opposite to the substrate, the sealing film covering the plurality of light-emitting elements;

a first wiring located between the substrate and the light-emitting element;

a first insulating film located between the first wiring and the light-emitting element;

a touch sensor disposed on the sealing film;

a second wiring disposed on the sealing film and connected to the touch sensor; and

a contact hole penetrating the first insulating film and connecting the first wiring with the second wiring.

7. The touchscreen according to claim 6, wherein

a thin film transistor is disposed on the substrate, and

the first insulating film is an inorganic film located between the thin film transistor and the light-emitting element.

8. The touchscreen according to claim 6, wherein

the contact hole penetrates at least a portion of the sealing film and the first insulating film.

9. The touchscreen according to claim 8, wherein

the sealing film includes a second insulating film made of an inorganic material and a third insulating film made of an inorganic material,

the second insulating film includes a contact area in direct contact with the third insulating film, and

the contact hole penetrates the first insulating film, the second insulating film, and the third insulating film, at a position overlapping the contact area.

10. The touchscreen according to claim 9, further comprising a display area where the plurality of light-emitting elements are located and an outer edge area located outside the display area, wherein

the sealing film is located to extend over the display area and the outer edge area, and

the contact area is located in the outer edge area.

11. The touchscreen according to claim 6, wherein

the sealing film includes a second insulating film made of an inorganic material and a third insulating film made of an inorganic material,

the second insulating film includes a contact area indirect contact with the third insulating film,

the contact area is located between a display area where the plurality of light-emitting elements are located and an end portion of the substrate, and

the contact hole is located between the contact area and the end portion.

12. The touchscreen according to claim 6, wherein

a first terminal electrically connected to any one of the lower electrode and the upper electrode and a second terminal electrically connected to the first wiring and the second wiring are located on the substrate, only one flexible printed circuit is disposed thereon, and

the flexible printed circuit is electrically connected to the first terminal and the second terminal.