Dual-substrate-sensor stack with electrodes opposing a display

• US 8,599,161 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Atmel Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Philipp, Harald
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Alexander S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Nguyen H
• Application Number:
  US13/619,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20130100054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 178 1801- 1803, 178 1805- 806, 178/19.03
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13439 characterised by their electrical, optical, physical properties; materials therefor; method of making
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• 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

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a display and a first and second substrate. Each substrate has a surface facing toward the display; a surface facing away from the display; and drive or sense electrodes of a touch sensor disposed on the surface of each substrate facing away from the display. The drive or sense electrodes are made of a conductive mesh of conductive material. The apparatus also includes an adhesive layer between the first and second substrates.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display;

a first substrate and a second substrate, each substrate having;

a surface facing toward the display;

a surface facing away from the display; and

drive or sense electrodes of a touch sensor disposed on the surface of each substrate facing away from the display, the drive or sense electrodes being made of a conductive mesh of conductive material; and

an adhesive layer between the first and second substrates;

wherein the conductive mesh of the first substrate comprises a series of regularly curved lines defining a plurality of openings; and

wherein the conductive mesh of the second substrate comprises a plurality of substantially straight line segments forming a plurality of intersections such that, when the first substrate and the second substrate are fixed together by the adhesive layer, the plurality of intersections lie within the plurality of openings from a perspective perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive mesh comprises a plurality of mesh segments, each of the mesh segments having a width of approximately 10 μ

m.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dielectric layer separating the display from the second substrate.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the dielectric layer comprises an air gap.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the dielectric layer comprises another adhesive layer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), glass, or polycarbonate (PC).

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer is an optically clear adhesive (OCA).

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cover panel separated from the first substrate by another adhesive layer.

9. An device comprising:

a display;

a first substrate and a second substrate, each substrate having;

a surface facing toward the display;

a surface facing away from the display; and

drive or sense electrodes of a touch sensor disposed on the surface of each substrate facing away from the display, the drive or sense electrodes being made of a conductive mesh of conductive material;

an adhesive layer between the first and second substrates; and

a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium embodying logic that is configured when executed to control the touch sensor;

wherein the conductive mesh of the first substrate comprises a series of regularly curved lines defining a plurality of openings; and

wherein the conductive mesh of the second substrate comprises a plurality of substantially straight line segments forming a plurality of intersections such that, when the first substrate and the second substrate are fixed together by the adhesive layer, the plurality of intersections lie within the plurality of openings from a perspective perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the conductive mesh comprises a plurality of mesh segments, each of the mesh segments having a width of approximately 10 μ

m.

11. The device of claim 9, further comprising a dielectric layer separating the display from the second substrate.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the dielectric layer comprises an air gap.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the dielectric layer comprises another adhesive layer.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the substrate is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), glass, or polycarbonate (PC).

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the adhesive layer is an optically clear adhesive (OCA).

16. The device of claim 9, further comprising a cover panel separated from the first substrate by another adhesive layer.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a cover panel;

a display;

a first substrate and a second substrate, each substrate having;

a surface facing toward the display;

a surface facing away from the display; and

drive or sense electrodes of a touch sensor disposed on the surface of each substrate facing away from the display, the drive or sense electrodes being made of a conductive mesh of conductive material;

a first adhesive layer separating the cover panel from the first substrate;

a second adhesive layer between the first and second substrates; and

a dielectric layer separating the display from the second substrate;

wherein the conductive mesh of the first substrate comprises a series of regularly curved lines defining a plurality of openings; and

wherein the conductive mesh of the second substrate comprises a plurality of substantially straight line segments forming a plurality of intersections such that, when the first substrate and the second substrate are fixed together by the adhesive layer, the plurality of intersections lie within the plurality of openings from a perspective perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the substrate is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), glass, or polycarbonate (PC).