Diamond pattern on a single layer

• US 8,274,486 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New Vision Display (Hong Kong) Limited (New Vision Display, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Barbier, Fabrice, Zabel, Farouk
• Primary Examiner(s): Edun, Muhammad N
• Application Number:
  US12/341,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20100156810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

A touch screen assembly and method of manufacturing thereof that includes a single layer of conductive material is provided. The conductive material is configured to include a horizontal pattern and a vertical pattern of electrodes, with one of the patterns having gaps between the electrodes, such that the electrodes in the horizontal pattern do not come into direct contact with electrodes in the vertical pattern. To provide a connection between the electrodes separated by gaps in the interrupted pattern, an insulating material is placed onto the gaps over the uninterrupted pattern, and a printable and electrically conductive connector is positioned over the insulating material and functions to couple at least two electrodes together. In one embodiment, the conductive connector includes carbon nanotubes.

Claims

1. A touch panel assembly comprising:

a patterned layer of conductive material organized into a plurality of rows of conductive electrodes and a plurality of columns of conductive electrodes, wherein the conductive electrodes in each row of the plurality of rows are continuous, and the conductive electrodes in each column of the plurality of columns are discontinuous;

an insulating material disposed over a portion of the conductive material that is at least part of one of the plurality of rows;

a printable and conductive connector disposed over the insulating material and operable to electrically couple two conductive electrodes in one column of the plurality of columns together.

2. The touch panel assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductive material includes indium tin oxide (ITO).

3. The touch panel assembly of claim 1, wherein the printable and conductive connector includes carbon nanotubes.

4. The touch panel assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductive electrodes are substantially diamond shaped.

5. The touch panel assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a glass substrate, wherein the patterned layer of conductive material is disposed thereon.

6. The touch panel assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a plastic substrate, wherein the patterned layer of conductive material is disposed thereon.

7. The touch panel assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of lead lines each coupled to one or more of the electrodes;

a controller coupled to the lead lines.

8. The touch panel assembly of claim 1, wherein the insulating material includes organic insulating material.

9. The touch panel assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rows and the plurality of columns are substantially orthogonal to each other.

10. A method for manufacturing a touch panel assembly, the method comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a layer of transparent conductive material on the substrate;

etching the conductive material to form a pattern that includes a plurality of rows that each include a plurality of electrodes, and a plurality of columns that each include a plurality of electrodes, wherein the plurality electrodes in each row of the plurality of rows are each coupled together by a strip of the conductive material, and wherein the plurality of electrodes in each column of the plurality of columns are not coupled together by the conductive material;

printing an insulating material aligned over at least a portion of each of the strips of the conductive material; and

printing an electrically conductive connector over at least a portion of the insulating material such that at least two of the electrodes are coupled together.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising coupling a plurality of lead lines to a plurality of the electrodes.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising coupling the plurality of lead lines to a controller.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrically conductive connector includes carbon nanotubes.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the conductive material includes indium tin oxide (ITO).

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the each row in the plurality of rows is substantially orthogonal to each column in the plurality of columns.

16. A touch panel assembly comprising:

a single patterned layer of conductive material that includes a plurality of electrodes, wherein at least two of the electrodes are not coupled together by the conductive material;

an insulating material disposed over a portion of the conductive material that connects two others of the electrodes together;

a printable and conductive connector disposed over the insulating material and operable to electrically couple two electrodes together.

17. The touch panel assembly of claim 16, wherein the conductive material includes indium tin oxide (ITO).

18. The touch panel assembly of claim 16, wherein the printable and conductive connector includes carbon nanotubes.

19. The touch panel assembly of claim 16, wherein the electrodes are substantially diamond shaped.

20. The touch panel assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

a glass substrate, wherein the patterned layer of conductive material is disposed thereon.

21. The touch panel assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

a plastic substrate, wherein the patterned layer of conductive material is disposed thereon.

22. The touch panel assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of lead lines each coupled to one or more of the electrodes;

a controller coupled to the lead lines.