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Touch panel

  • US 6,690,361 B1
  • Filed: 06/22/2000
  • Issued: 02/10/2004
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A touch panel comprising:

  • an upper substrate including a first surface covered with an upper transparent electrically conductive layer and a pair of upper electrodes disposed between the upper substrate and the upper transparent electrically conductive layer and arranged in strips along two opposite edges of the upper substrate;

    a lower substrate having a first surface facing the first surface of the upper substrate and a lower transparent electrically conductive layer, a first pair of lower electrodes arranged in strips, transverse to the pair of the upper electrodes, in contact with and conducting through the lower transparent electrically conductive layer, and a second pair of lower electrodes parallel to, aligned with, and in contact with the respective first pair of upper electrodes, wherein when the upper and lower transparent electrically conductive layers are brought into contact at a position by application of pressure to the upper and lower substrates, the position of the contact is indicated by changes in voltages applied through the first and second pairs of lower electrodes;

    dot spacers interposed between the upper and lower substrates to maintain an interval between the upper and lower substrates at positions where the dot spacers are present; and

    a flexible cable including respective conductors electrically connected to the first and second pairs of lower electrodes and through which power may be applied, wherein at least the second pair of lower electrodes has a cross-sectional area varying in proportion to linear resistance of the second pair of lower electrodes so that equipotential lines are uniformly formed between the first and second pairs of lower electrodes when power is applied to the pair of upper electrodes and the first and second pairs of lower electrodes through the cable, and the cross-sectional areas of the second pair of lower electrodes, from a power application point where the flexible cable is connected to the second pair of lower electrodes to remote ends of the second pair of lower electrodes, increase in proportion to the linear resistance of the second pair of lower electrodes.

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