Touch panel

• US 6,507,337 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2000
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gunze Limited
• Original Assignee: Gunze Limited
• Inventors: Noda, Kazuhiro, Sato, Hirotoshi, Furukawa, Shuji, Tanimura, Kohtaro
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US09/530,987
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/104, 345/174, 345/179, 345/156, 345/157, 178/18, 178/18-1-, 178/19-1-, 341/22, 341/34
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel which has an excellent contact level between a undercoat layer and a substrate on which the undercoat layer is formed. The secondary object of the present invention to provide a touch panel which is lightweight and provided with a wide operating temperature and impact resistance. The primary object is achieved by providing a metal layer between a conductive-layer forming member and an undercoat layer, the metal layer being formed from a single metal element or an alloy of metal elements. The secondary object of the present invention is achieved by using an amorphous polyolefine base resin sheet for forming conductive-layer forming members of the touch and display substrates and using a material for forming a supporting member so that a difference between linear expansion coefficients of the supporting member and each of the conductive-layer forming members is kept within 1×10⁻⁵/° C.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising a first flat substrate having a first conductive layer on a lower main surface and a second flat substrate having a second conductive layer on an upper main surface, the first and second conductive layers facing each other with a certain space in between,

wherein the first flat substrate includes a conductive-layer forming member onto which the first conductive layer is formed and a supporting member which supports the conductive-layer forming member,

wherein each of the second flat substrate and the conductive-layer forming member is formed from an amorphous polyolefine base resin sheet,

wherein a difference between linear expansion coefficients of the supporting member and one of the second flat substrate and the conductive-layer forming member is within 1×

10<sup>−

5</sup>/°

C.

2. The touch panel of claim 1,

wherein the supporting member is formed from one of an amorphous polyolefine base resin sheet, a polycarbonate base sheet, and an acrylic resin sheet.

3. The touch panel of claim 2,

wherein the supporting member is formed from one of an amorphous polyolefine base resin sheet, a polycarbonate base sheet, and an acrylic resin sheet.

4. The touch panel of claim 2

wherein the first and second conductive layers each have a surface roughness that avoids the first and second conductive layers from sticking together.

5. The touch panel of claim 2,

wherein a protect member is set on a lower main surface of the second flat substrate.

6. The touch panel of claim 1,

wherein the amorphous polyolefine base resin sheet is formed according to one of a solvent casting method and a fusion extruding method.

7. The touch panel of claim 6,

wherein the first and second conductive layers each have a surface roughness that avoids the first and second conductive layers from sticking together.

8. The touch panel of claim 7,

wherein a protect member is set on a lower main surface of the second flat substrate.

9. The touch panel of claim 6,

wherein a protect member is set on a lower main surface of the second flat substrate.

10. The touch panel of claim 1,

wherein the first and second conductive layers each have a surface roughness that avoids the first and second conductive layers from sticking together.

11. The touch panel of claim 10,

wherein a protect member is set on a lower main surface of the second flat substrate.

12. The touch panel of claim 1,

wherein a protect member is set on a lower main surface of the second flat substrate.

13. A touch panel comprising:

a first flat substrate having a first conductive layer on a lower main surface and a second flat substrate having a second conductive layer on an upper main surface, the first and second conductive layers facing each other with a certain space in between,

wherein the first flat substrate includes a conductive-layer forming member onto which the first conductive layer is formed and a supporting member which supports the conductive-layer forming member,

wherein a difference between linear expansion coefficients of the supporting member and one of the second flat substrate and the conductive-layer forming member is within 1×

10<sup>−

5</sup>/°

C.

14. The touch panel of claim 13,

wherein the supporting member is formed from one of an amorphous polyolefine base resin sheet, a polycarbonate base resin sheet, and an acrylic resin sheet.

15. The touch panel of claim 13 wherein the supporting member is formed from one of an amorphous polyolefine base resin sheet, a polycarbonate base resin sheet, and a laminate of an amorphous polyolefine base resin sheet and a polycarbonate base resin sheet.

16. The touch panel of claim 15 wherein each of the second flat substrate and the conductive-layer forming member is formed from an amorphous polyolefine base resin sheet.

17. The touch panel of claim 13 wherein a difference between linear expansion coefficients of the supporting member and the conductive-layer forming member is within 1×

10<sup>−

5</sup>/°

C.