Manufacturing methods of touch panel, display device, and electronic apparatus

• US 8,444,448 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2010
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Ishida, Kohei, Momose, Kaoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): SANTONOCITO, MICHAEL P
• Application Number:
  US12/719,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20100233930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 445/24, 345173-174, 427/97.3
• US Class Current: 445/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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

Abstract

A manufacturing method of a touch panel having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes which are formed on one surface of a substrate and extend in directions crossing each other, includes: forming the second electrodes so as to be separated at intersections between the first and second electrodes on the substrate; forming the first electrodes at the intersections on the substrate; forming an insulating film at least on the first electrodes at the intersections using a printing method; and forming bridge wirings that connect the second electrodes separated at the intersections to each other over the insulating film using the printing method, wherein forming partition walls for partitioning at least a part of a profile shape of the insulating film is performed prior to the forming of the insulating film.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method of a touch panel having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes which are formed on one surface of a substrate and extend in directions crossing each other, the method comprising:

forming the second electrodes so as to be separated at intersections between the first and second electrodes on the substrate;

forming the first electrodes at the intersections on the substrate;

forming an insulating film at least on the first electrodes at the intersections using a printing method; and

forming bridge wirings that connect upper surfaces of the second electrodes separated at the intersections to each other over the insulating film using the printing method,

wherein forming partition walls for partitioning at least a part of a profile shape of the insulating film is performed prior to the forming of the insulating film, and the partition walls are configured with edges of the separated second electrodes,

the first electrodes at the intersections are formed so as to be thinner than the second electrodes,

the insulating film is formed on top surfaces and side surfaces of the first electrodes and is in contact with the side surfaces of the first electrodes, and the insulating film is formed between the edges of the separated second electrodes so as to be approximately even with the upper surfaces of the second electrodes, and

the bridge wirings are formed in a straight-line shape on the second electrodes and the insulating film.

2. The manufacturing method of the touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein the partition walls include the second electrodes separated at the intersections.

3. The manufacturing method of the touch panel according to claim 1, further comprising:

forming the second electrodes on the entire surface of the substrate;

applying a photosensitizing agent onto the second electrodes;

exposing the photosensitizing agent located at the intersections; and

removing the exposed photosensitizing agent and the second electrodes which are located at the intersections,

wherein the partition walls are the unexposed photosensitizing agent which remains after the removing of the exposed photosensitizing agent.

4. The manufacturing method of the touch panel according to claim 1,

wherein an insulating film forming material used in the printing method exhibits a liquid repellent property with respect to the partition walls and exhibits a liquid affinity property with respect to a surface of the substrate.

5. A manufacturing method of a display device comprising:

manufacturing a touch panel by the manufacturing method according to claim 1.

6. A manufacturing method of an electronic apparatus comprising:

manufacturing a display device by the manufacturing method according to claim 5.

7. The manufacturing method of the touch panel according to claim 1, further includes forming lead wirings on the substrate, wherein

the lead wirings are formed by a first layer and a second layer that is laminated on the first layer, and the second layer has a low resistance value so as to have a lower sheet resistance than the first layer.

8. A manufacturing method of a touch panel having a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes which are formed on one surface of a substrate and extend in directions crossing each other, the method comprising:

forming the second electrodes so as to be separated at intersections between the first and second electrodes on the substrate;

forming the first electrodes at the intersections on the substrate;

forming an insulating film at least on the first electrodes at the intersections using a printing method; and

forming bridge wirings that connect upper surfaces of the second electrodes separated at the intersections to each other over the insulating film using the printing method,

wherein forming partition walls for partitioning at least a part of a profile shape of the insulating film is performed prior to the forming of the insulating film, and the partition walls are configured with edges of the separated second electrodes,

the first electrodes at the intersections are formed so as to be thinner than the second electrodes,

the insulating film is formed on top surfaces and side surfaces of the first electrodes and is in contact with the side surfaces of the first electrodes, the insulating film is formed between the edges of the separated second electrodes so as to be approximately even with the upper surfaces of the second electrodes, and the insulating film is made of a material having a relative permittivity of 4.0 or less and having a refractive index of 2.0 or less, and

the bride wirings are formed in a straight-line shape on the second electrodes and the insulating film.

9. The manufacturing method of the touch panel according to claim 8,

wherein the partition walls include the second electrodes separated at the intersections.

10. The manufacturing method of the touch panel according to claim 8, further includes forming lead wirings on the substrate, wherein

the lead wirings are formed by a first layer and a second layer that is laminated on the first layer, and the second layer has a low resistance value so as to have a lower sheet resistance than the first layer.