TOUCH PANEL

• US 20180203531A1
• Filed: 01/19/2017
• Published: 07/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HannsTouch Solution, Inc.
• Original Assignee: HannsTouch Solution, Inc.
• Inventors: TSAI, Ching-Feng, LO, Wei-Ren
• Granted Patent: US 10,318,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 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 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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 touch panel includes a substrate, a touch electrode, a control unit, and a trace structure. The substrate has a touch sensing area and a peripheral circuit area. The touch electrode is disposed on the touch sensing area of the substrate. The touch electrode includes a first transparent conductive layer, a second transparent conductive layer, and a metal mesh layer. The second transparent conductive layer is disposed on the first transparent conductive layer. The metal mesh layer is disposed between the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer, in which the metal mesh layer is at least partially in contact with the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer, and the metal mesh layer comprises plural metal lines. The trace structure is disposed on the peripheral circuit area of the substrate and configured to electrically connect the touch electrode to the control unit.

Claims

1. A touch panel, comprising:

a substrate having a touch sensing area and a peripheral circuit area;

a touch electrode disposed on the touch sensing area of the substrate, wherein the touch electrode comprises;

a first transparent conductive layer disposed on the substrate;

a second transparent conductive layer disposed on the first transparent conductive layer; and

a metal mesh layer disposed between the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer, wherein the metal mesh layer is at least partially in contact with the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer, and the metal mesh layer comprises a plurality of metal lines;

a control unit; and

a trace structure disposed on the peripheral circuit area of the substrate and configured to electrically connect the touch electrode to the control unit.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the metal lines of the metal mesh layer form at least one metal line opening, and the second transparent conductive layer has at least one second opening corresponding to the metal line opening.

3. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the first transparent conductive layer has at least one first opening corresponding to the metal line opening.

4. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the first transparent conductive is a solid layer.

5. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the metal lines of the metal mesh layer form at least one metal line opening, and the first transparent conductive layer has at least one first opening corresponding to the metal line opening.

6. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the trace structure comprises at least one metal trace, and the metal trace has the same thickness as that of the metal lines of the metal mesh layer.

7. The touch panel of claim 6, wherein the trace structure comprises at least one first transparent trace disposed between the metal trace and the substrate, wherein the first transparent trace has the same thickness as that of the first transparent conductive layer.

8. The touch panel of claim 7, wherein the trace structure comprises at least one second transparent trace, the metal trace is disposed between the second transparent trace and the substrate, and the second transparent trace has the same thickness as that of the second transparent conductive layer.

9. The touch panel of claim 6, wherein the trace structure comprises at least one second transparent trace, the metal trace is disposed between the second transparent trace and the substrate, and the second transparent trace has the same thickness as that of the second transparent conductive layer.

10. The touch panel of claim 6, wherein a width of the metal trace is greater than a width of the metal lines of the metal mesh layer.

11. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one connection structure connecting adjacent two of a plurality of the touch electrodes; and

at least one bridge structure connecting two of the touch electrodes respectively disposed at two sides of the connection structure.

12. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the connection structure comprises a transparent connection line and a metal connection line, the transparent connection line is disposed between the metal connection line and the substrate, and the transparent connection line has a thickness the same as that of the first transparent conductive layer.

13. The touch panel of claim 12, wherein a width of the transparent connection line is substantially equal to a width of the metal connection line.

14. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the connection structure comprises a metal connection line, and a width of the metal connection line is greater than a width of the metal lines of the metal mesh layer.

15. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the trace structure comprises at least one metal trace, and the bridge structure comprises at least one bridge conductive line, and a thickness of the metal trace is the same with a thickness of the bridge conductive line.