Touch panel for display device

• US 6,680,448 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2002
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minebea Mitsumi, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Minebea Company Limited (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawashima, Satoshi, Asakawa, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): FRIEDHOFER, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US10/046,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20020092746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/18.03, 178/20.01, 200/512, 200/514, 200/308, 200/310, 200/313, 200/314, 200/317, 345/156, 345/173, 345/174
• US Class Current: 200/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

There is provided a touch panel for a display device for reducing the whole thickness thereof when the touch panel is attached to the display device, increasing the accuracy of the positional information and improving the display quality and the durability thereof. One resistive layer of a pair of resistive layers disposed opposite to each other across a plurality of insulating dot spacers is laid on a translucent flat plate, and a light conductive plate of a front light unit is integrated with an outer surface side of the translucent flat plate. The translucent flat plate is formed of a PET film in place of a glass plate.

Claims

1. A touch panel for a display device, which is structured such that one resistive layer of a pair of resistive layers disposed facing each other across a plurality of insulating dot spacers is laid on a translucent flat plate, is disposed close to a display device such that said translucent flat plate is directed toward a display surface of said display device and that a front light unit comprising a light source and a light conductive plate to guide light emitted from said light source toward said display surface of said display device is interposed therebetween, and in which a signal is generated by touching an outer surface of the other resistive layer corresponding to a position touched, wherein said translucent flat plate is formed of a polyethylene terephthalate film, and said light conductive plate is integrally combined with an outer surface of said polyethylene terephthalate film.

2. Touch panel for a display device according to claim 1, wherein said polyethylene terephthalate film has a thickness ranging from 0.1 to 0.2 mm.

3. Touch panel for a display device according to claim 1, wherein said polyethylene terephthalate film is provided with coating.

4. A touch panel for a display device, which is structured such that one resistive layer of a pair of resistive layers disposed facing each other across a plurality of insulating dot spacers is laid on a translucent flat plate, is disposed close to a display device such that said translucent flat plate is directed toward a display surface of said display device and that a front light unit comprising a light source and a light conductive plate to guide light emitted from said light source toward said display surface of said display device is interposed therebetween, and in which a signal is generated by touching an outer surface of the other resistive layer corresponding to a position touched, wherein said translucent flat plate is formed of a polyethylene terephthalate film, and said light conductive plate is integrally combined with an outer surface side of said polyethylene terephthalate film, said polyethylene terephthalate film being coupled to said light conductive plate on peripheral portions of said light conductive plate.