Touch panel

• US 6,639,163 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2002
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukui, Toshiharu, Moroi, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): FRIEDHOFER, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US10/053,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20020100677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 200/600, 200/511, 200/512, 200/514, 345/173, 178/18.09
• US Class Current: 200/512
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/002 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/014 composed of different layers; Lubricant in between
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/072 High temperature considerations

Abstract

A touch panel has excellent visibility and little waviness on respective elements even if the touch panel is exposed in a severe temperature or moisture environment. The touch panel includes an upper electrode sheet and a lower electrode board having respective transparent electrodes face to each other, and both of the sheet and the board are made of respective materials containing an identical main component to each other. In the touch panel, differences in dimensional changes due to the severe environment are restrained so as to be small. Therefore, waviness on the upper electrode sheet and warp of the lower electrode board scarcely occur, and the touch panel can maintain excellent visibility.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a first electrode sheet including;

a first transparent film; and

a first transparent electrode disposed on said first transparent film; and

an electrode board including;

a rigid transparent plastic board; and

a second transparent electrode disposed on said plastic board, said second transparent electrode facing said first transparent electrode,

wherein said first transparent film and said rigid transparent plastic board are made of respective materials containing an identical main component to each other.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein said first transparent film includes:

two transparent films; and

an adhesive bonding said two transparent films to each other.

3. A touch panel comprising:

a first electrode sheet including;

a first transparent film; and

a first transparent electrode disposed on said first transparent film; and

an electrode board including;

a rigid transparent plastic board; and

a second transparent electrode disposed on said plastic board, said second transparent electrode facing said first transparent electrode,

wherein a difference between respective linear-expansion coefficients of said first transparent film and said rigid transparent plastic board is not more than 1×

10<sup>−

5</sup>(1/°

C.).

4. The touch panel of claim 3, wherein said first transparent film includes:

two transparent films; and

an adhesive bonding said two transparent films to each other.

5. A touch panel comprising:

a first electrode sheet including

a first transparent film; and

a first transparent electrode disposed on said first film;

a second electrode sheet including

a second transparent film; and

a second transparent electrode disposed on said second film, said second transparent electrode facing said first transparent film; and

a holder board disposed on a face, where said second transparent electrode is not disposed, of said second electrode sheet, said holder board being made of a rigid transparent plastic board,

wherein said first transparent film, said second transparent film and said holder board are made of respective materials containing an identical main component to each other.

6. The touch panel of claim 5, further comprising:

a transparent adhesive layer for bonding said second electrode sheet to said holder board.

7. The touch panel of claim 5, wherein said first transparent film includes:

two transparent films; and

an adhesive for bonding said two transparent films to each other.

8. A touch panel comprising:

a first electrode sheet including;

a first transparent film; and

a first transparent electrode disposed on said first transparent film;

a second electrode sheet including;

a second transparent film; and

a second transparent electrode disposed on said second transparent film, said second transparent electrode facing said first transparent film; and

a holder board disposed on a face, where said second transparent electrode is not disposed, of said second electrode sheet, said holder board being made of a rigid transparent plastic board,

wherein a difference between respective linear-expansion coefficients of said first transparent film and said holder board is not more than 1×

10<sup>−

5</sup>(1/°

C.),

wherein a difference between respective linear-expansion coefficients of said second transparent film and said holder board is not more than 1×

10<sup>−

5</sup>(1/°

C.), and

wherein a difference between respective linear-expansion coefficients of said first transparent film and said second transparent film is not more than 1×

10<sup>−

5</sup>(1/°

C.).

9. The touch panel of claim 8, wherein said first and second transparent films are made of an identical material.

10. The touch panel of claim 8, further comprising:

a transparent adhesive layer for bonding said second electrode sheet to said holder board.

11. The touch panel of claim 8, wherein said first transparent film includes:

two transparent films; and

an adhesive for bonding said two transparent films to each other.