Touch panel and manufacturing method for the same

• US 7,406,881 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• 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: Tanabe, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kirkland, III; Freddie
• Application Number:
  US11/453,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20060283267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 738/620.41, 738/620.46, 738/626.26
• US Class Current: 73/862.041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

A touch panel has an upper substrate, a lower substrate, an elastic layer, plural conducting wires, and a gel layer. An upper conductive layer is formed at a lower surface of the upper substrate, a lower conductive layer that faces the upper conductive layer with a gap in between is formed at a top surface of the lower substrate, and the elastic layer is formed at a top surface of the lower conductive layer. The conductive wires are partially buried in the elastic layer and are disposed in a manner vertically oriented with a gap from the upper conductive layer. The gel layer is formed between the upper conductive layer and the elastic layer. With this construction, the touch panel is obtainable that suffers less wrong operation and allows reliable operation.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

an upper substrate having an upper conductive layer formed at a lower surface thereof;

a lower substrate having a lower conductive layer formed on a top surface thereof, the lower conductive layer is provided opposite the upper conductive layer with a space in between;

an elastic layer formed at a top surface of the lower conductive layer;

a plurality of conductive wires disposed in a manner oriented in the vertical direction and at a distance from the upper conductive layer, a part of the conductive wires being buried in the elastic layer; and

a gel layer extending from a top surface of the elastic layer to a bottom surface of the upper conductive layer.

2. The touch panel of claim 1,

wherein the coefficient of elasticity of the gel layer is smaller than the coefficient of elasticity of the elastic layer.

3. The touch panel of claim 1,

wherein the conductive wires are disposed with a predetermined distribution.

4. The touch panel of claim 2,

wherein the coefficient of elasticity of the elastic layer is 10 times or more than 10 times of the coefficient of elasticity of the gel layer.

5. A touch panel comprising:

an upper substrate having an upper conductive layer formed at a lower surface thereof;

a lower substrate having a lower conductive layer formed on a top surface thereof, the lower conductive layer is provided opposite the upper conductive layer with a space in between;

an elastic layer formed at a top surface of the lower conductive layer;

a plurality of conductive wires disposed in a manner oriented in the vertical direction and at a distance from the upper conductive layer, a part of the conductive wires being buried in the elastic layer; and

a gel layer formed between the upper conductive layer and the elastic layer,

wherein the gel layer has a coefficient of elasticity in the range of 10² to 10³ dyne/cm².

6. A manufacturing method of a touch panel comprising the steps of:

preparing a lower substrate having a lower conductive layer formed at a top surface thereof;

coating on the top surface of the lower conductive layer an elastic layer having conductive wires dispersed;

forming a magnetic field in the elastic layer;

curing the elastic layer in a state in which the conductive wires are vertically oriented upright by using the magnetic field;

preparing an upper substrate having an upper conductive layer formed at a lower surface thereof; and

forming a gel layer extending from a top surface of the elastic layer to a bottom surface of the upper conductive layer.

7. The manufacturing method of a touch panel of claim 6,

wherein the coefficient of elasticity of the gel layer is smaller than the coefficient of elasticity of the elastic layer.

8. The manufacturing method of a touch panel of claim 7,

wherein the coefficient of elasticity of the elastic layer is 10 times or more than 10 times of the coefficient of elasticity of the gel layer.

9. A manufacturing method of a touch panel comprising the steps of:

preparing a lower substrate having a lower conductive layer formed at a top surface thereof;

coating on the top surface of the lower conductive layer an elastic layer having conductive wires dispersed;

forming a magnetic field in the elastic layer;

curing the elastic layer in a state in which the conductive wires are vertically oriented upright by using the magnetic field,

forming a gel layer on the elastic layer; and

forming on the gel layer an upper substrate having an upper conductive layer formed at a lower surface thereof,

wherein the gel layer has a coefficient of elasticity in the range of 10² to 10³ dyne/cm².

10. A manufacturing method of a touch panel comprising the steps of:

preparing a lower substrate having a lower conductive layer formed at a top surface thereof;

coating on the top surface of the lower conductive layer an elastic layer having conductive wires dispersed;

forming a magnetic field in the elastic layer; and

curing the elastic layer in a state in which the conductive wires are vertically oriented upright by using the magnetic field,

wherein the magnetic field is formed in the elastic layer using a magnet having concave portion and convex portion on a surface of the magnet.