Co-ordinates input device and a method for producing the same

• US 6,225,577 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sawai, Katsunori, Ito, Takayuki, Watanabe, Takeshi, Sasagawa, Hideto
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Application Number:
  US09/015,348
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/91, 345/92, 345/93, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.04, 178/18.05, 178/18.06, 178/18.07
• US Class Current: 178/18.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A co-ordinates input device having a transparent substrate member is composed of: a transparent substrate; an ITO film formed on a surface of the transparent substrate; a pair of electrodes formed at a given distance from each other on the ITO film; an operation region formed between the pair of electrodes; and lead electrodes, extending from the pair of electrodes, formed on the ITO film; in which at least one of the lead electrodes extending from the pair of electrodes is formed on the ITO film on a side of the operation region, and between the lead electrode and the operation region, a groove is formed in the ITO film alone or in the ITO film and continuously extending into the transparent substrate.

Claims

1. A coordinate input device comprising a transparent substrate member comprising:

a pair of opposing transparent substrates;

ITO films, each formed on a surface of each of said pair of transparent substrates;

two pairs of linear electrodes, each pair formed at a given distance from each other on each of said ITO films, one pair of linear electrodes being orthogonal to the other pair of linear electrodes;

operation regions, each formed between each pair of said two pairs of linear electrodes; and

two pairs of first and second lead electrodes, each pair extending from each pair of said two pairs of linear electrodes on said ITO films;

wherein, in one pair of first and second lead electrodes on one substrate, the first lead electrode extends in the direction of the corresponding linear electrode toward one edge of the corresponding substrate, the second lead electrode extends along the edge of the corresponding substrate toward the vicinity of the first lead electrode, turns to the edge of the corresponding substrate, and extends along the first lead electrode and an insulating groove is formed in said ITO film between the second lead electrode and the corresponding operation region and between the second lead electrode and the first lead electrode;

wherein, in the other pair of first and second lead electrodes on the other substrate, the first lead electrode extends in the direction perpendicular to the corresponding linear electrode toward the proximate edge of the corresponding substrate, the second lead electrode extends along another edge, perpendicular to said proximate edge, of the corresponding substrate and then along the first lead electrode between the first lead electrode and said proximate edge of the corresponding substrate toward the vicinity of the first lead electrode, turns to said proximate edge of the corresponding substrate, and extends along the first lead electrode, and an insulating groove is formed in said ITO film between the second lead electrode and the corresponding operation region and between the second lead electrode and the first lead electrode.

2. A coordinate input device comprising a transparent substrate member as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the grooves passes through said corresponding ITO film and reaches an interior of said corresponding transparent substrate thereunder.

3. A method for producing a transparent substrate member for a coordinate input device comprising the following steps for:

forming an ITO film on a surface of each of a pair of opposing transparent substrates;

forming a pair of electrodes at a given distance from each other on said ITO film, one pair of linear electrodes on one of the transparent substrates being orthogonal to the other pair of linear electrodes on the other of the transparent substrates;

forming a pair of first and second lead electrodes extending from said pair of linear electrodes, wherein, in one pair of first and second lead electrodes on one substrate, the first lead electrode extends in the direction of the corresponding linear electrode toward one edge of the corresponding substrate, and the second lead electrode extends along the edge of the corresponding substrate toward the vicinity of the first lead electrode, turns to the edge of the corresponding substrate, and extends along the first lead electrode, and, in the other pair of first and second lead electrodes on the other substrate, the first lead electrode extends in the direction perpendicular to the corresponding linear electrode toward the proximate edge of the corresponding substrate, the second lead electrode extends along another edge, perpendicular to said proximate edge, of the corresponding substrate and then along the first lead electrode between the first lead electrode and said proximate edge of the corresponding substrate toward the vicinity of the first lead electrode, turns to said proximate edge of the corresponding substrate, and extends along the first lead electrode; and

forming grooves in said ITO films, one formed in said corresponding ITO film between the second lead electrode and the corresponding operation region and between the second lead electrode and the first lead electrode, the other formed in the corresponding ITO film between the second lead electrode and the corresponding operation region and between the second lead electrode and the first lead electrode by laser irradiation or a cutter.

4. A method for producing a transparent substrate member for a coordinate input device as set forth in claim 3,

wherein each of the grooves passes through said corresponding ITO film and reaches the interior of said corresponding transparent substrate thereunder.