Touch panel and manufacturing method thereof

• US 7,538,287 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Akira, Fujii, Shigeyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KYUNG S
• Application Number:
  US12/055,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20080237019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 200510-512, 200/520, 200/600, 200/302.1, 345173-179, 341/34
• 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 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/024 Peripheral edge deformable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/036 Convexly bowed membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/01 Liquid crystal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

A first separate area insulated from a top conductive layer and extending in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of top electrodes is provided near an inner periphery of a spacer on a surface of the top substrate where the top conductive layer is provided. And/or a second separate area insulated from a bottom conductive layer and extending in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of bottom electrodes is provided near an inner periphery of the spacer on a surface of the bottom substrate where the bottom conductive layer is provided.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a top substrate;

a top conductive layer provided on the top substrate;

a pair of top electrodes provided on the top substrate and extending from both ends of the top conductive layer;

a bottom substrate;

a bottom conductive layer provided on the bottom substrate so as to face the top conductive layer with a prescribed clearance;

a pair of bottom electrodes provided on the bottom substrate and extending from both ends of the bottom conductive layer in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the top electrodes;

a frame-like spacer formed on peripheries of the top substrate and the bottom substrate therebetween; and

at least one of

a first separate area insulated from the top conductive layer, the first separate area being provided near an inner periphery of the spacer on a surface of the top substrate, the surface being provided with the top conductive layer, and the first separate area extending to a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the top electrodes and

a second separate area insulated from the bottom conductive layer, the second separate area being provided near an inner periphery of the spacer on a surface of the bottom substrate, the surface being provided with the bottom conductive layer, and the second separate area extending to a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the bottom electrodes.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the first separate area is rectangular.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the second separate area is rectangular.

4. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein a slit is provided surrounding the first separate area between the first separate area and the top conductive layer.

5. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein a slit is provided surrounding the second separate area between the second separate area and the bottom conductive layer.

6. A manufacturing method of a touch panel, comprising:

A) bonding a top substrate provided with a top conductive layer and a pair of top electrodes extending from both ends of the top conductive layer and a bottom substrate provided with a bottom conductive layer and a pair of bottom electrodes extending from both ends of the bottom conductive layer such that the top conductive layer faces the bottom conductive layer with a prescribed clearance via a frame-like spacer disposed on peripheries of the top substrate and the bottom substrate therebetween,

and

B) forming at least one of

a first separate area insulated from the top conductive layer, the first separate area being provided near an inner periphery of the spacer on a surface of the top substrate, the surface being provided with the top conductive layer, and the first separate area extending to a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the top electrodes and

a second separate area insulated from the bottom conductive layer, the second separate area being provided near an inner periphery of the spacer on a surface of the bottom substrate, the surface being provided with the bottom conductive layer, and the second separate area extending to a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the bottom electrodes.

7. The manufacturing method of a touch panel according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the first separate area and the second separate area is formed by laser machining at least one of the top conductive layer and the bottom conductive layer in the step B.