Touch panel device and method for manufacturing touch panel devices

• US 7,423,636 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yuji, Katsuki, Takashi, Sano, Satoshi, Nakazawa, Fumihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro; Leonid
• Application Number:
  US11/017,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20060038792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate

Abstract

Each of transducers of a touch panel device includes a piezoelectric thin film, a plate electrode disposed at one surface of the piezoelectric thin film and a comb-like electrode disposed at the other surface of the piezoelectric thin film. The comb-like electrode has a plurality of comb-like electrode fingers and a linear bus electrode to which one end of each of the plural comb-like electrode fingers is connected. A plurality of wiring electrodes is provided at the outer side of any of the transducers in parallel with the bus electrode of the transducer and is connected to the bus electrode and the plate electrode of any of the transducers. Each of the wiring electrodes includes an electrode base portion formed by printing silver paste containing fine particles on the substrate and an electrode main body formed by printing silver paste containing large particles and fine particles in a mixed manner on the electrode base portion.

Claims

1. A touch panel device comprising a transparent substrate, a touch area disposed at the middle portion of the substrate and transducers disposed at the edge portion of the touch area for exciting or receiving surface acoustic waves, wherein

each of the transducers includes a piezoelectric thin film, a plate electrode disposed at one surface of the piezoelectric thin film and a comb-like electrode disposed at the other surface of the piezoelectric thin film, the comb-like electrode consisting of a plurality of comb-like electrode fingers and a linear bus electrode to which one end of each of the plural comb-like electrode fingers is connected,

a plurality of wiring electrodes is provided at the outer side of the transducer in parallel with the bus electrode of the transducer and is connected to the plate electrode and the bus electrode of any of the transducers, and

each of the wiring electrodes includes an electrode base portion formed by printing silver paste containing fine particles on the surface of the substrate and an electrode main body formed by printing silver paste containing large particles and fine particles in a mixed manner on the electrode base portion.

2. The touch panel device according to claim 1, wherein the plural comb-like electrode fingers and the bus electrode are arranged on the other surface of the piezoelectric thin film and are formed by printing silver paste containing fine particles in the same process as the electrode base portion.

3. The touch panel device according to claim 1, wherein a girdle wall made of zinc oxide is formed between two of the plural wiring electrodes for preventing migration when the wiring electrode is printed.

4. The touch panel device according to claim 1, wherein the bus electrode includes a bus electrode base portion formed by printing silver paste containing fine particles on the surface of the substrate and a bus electrode main body formed by printing silver paste containing large particles and fine particles in a mixed manner on the bus electrode base portion.

5. The touch panel device according to claim 4, wherein a girdle wall made of zinc oxide is formed between two of the plural wiring electrodes as well as between the wiring electrode and the bus electrode.

6. The touch panel device according to claim 4, wherein an acoustic absorption moisture proof layer is formed over the entire area of an edge portion of the substrate so as to cover the plural wiring electrodes and the bus electrode.

7. The touch panel device according to claim 6, wherein the plate electrode is disposed between the piezoelectric thin film and the substrate, a contact portion for connecting the plate electrode with the wiring electrode is only a part of the plate electrode extending from and under the piezoelectric thin film onto the substrate, and the contact portion is covered with the acoustic absorption moisture proof layer.