Curved touch sensor

• US 8,603,574 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2010
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Lili, Hong, Seung Jae, Zhong, John Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cleveland, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): TADAYYON ESLAMI, TABASSOM
• Application Number:
  US12/940,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20120111491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 349/158, 349/110, 427/58, 427/98.2, 427/162
• US Class Current: 427/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/028 Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits H05K1/0283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/057 Shape retainable
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0014 Shaping of the substrate, e.g. by moulding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A method of forming a curved touch surface is disclosed. The method can include depositing and patterning a conductive thin film on a flexible substrate to form at least one touch sensor pattern, while the flexible substrate is in a flat state. According to certain embodiments, the method can include supporting the flexible substrate in the flat state on at least one curved forming substrate having a predetermined curvature; and performing an anneal process, or an anneal-like high-heat process, on the conductive thin film, wherein the anneal process can cause the flexible substrate to conform to the predetermined curvature of the at least one curved forming substrate. According to an embodiment, the curved forming substrate can include a first forming substrate having a first predetermined curvature and a second forming substrate having a second predetermined curvature complementing the first predetermined curvature.

Claims

1. A method of forming a curved touch surface, comprising:

depositing and patterning a conductive thin film on a flexible substrate to form at least one touch sensor pattern, while the flexible substrate is in a flat state and wherein the flexible substrate is a glass substrate;

supporting the flexible substrate in the flat state on at least one curved forming substrate having a predetermined curvature; and

performing an anneal process on the conductive thin film, wherein the anneal process causes the flexible substrate to conform to the predetermined curvature of the at least one curved forming substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one curved forming substrate includes a first forming substrate having a first predetermined curvature and a second forming substrate having a second predetermined curvature complementing the first predetermined curvature.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

forcing the first and second forming substrates together to facilitate the flexible substrate in conforming to the first and second predetermined curvature.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

separating the flexible substrate conformed to the predetermined curvature from the at least one curved forming substrate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate is formed of at least one of polyethylene-terephthalate (PET), polymide and polycarbonate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin film forming the touch sensor pattern is at least one of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), Antimony Tin Oxide (ATO), silver ink, Indium Zinc Oxide (IZO), silver nano wire, CNT and copper.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is incorporated within a touch sensor panel.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the touch sensor panel is incorporated within a computing system.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the touch sensor panel is incorporated within a display device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the touch sensor panel is incorporated within a touch mouse device.

11. A method, comprising:

depositing a patterned conductive thin film on a flexible substrate to form one or more touch sensor patterns, while the flexible substrate is in a flat state and supported by a rigid carrying plate, wherein the flexible substrate is a glass substrate;

removing the flexible substrate from the rigid carrying plate and supporting the flexible substrate in the flat state on at least one curved forming substrate having a predetermined curvature; and

performing a heat process on the conductive thin film, wherein the heat causes the flexible substrate to conform to the predetermined curvature of the at least one curved forming substrate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one curved forming substrate includes a first forming substrate having a first predetermined curvature and a second forming substrate having a second predetermined curvature complementing the first predetermined curvature.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

pressing together the first and second forming substrates to force the flexible substrate to conforming to the first and second predetermined curvatures.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming the flexible substrate from at least one of polyethylene-terephthalate (PET), polymide and polycarbonate.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising depositing the thin film using at least one of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), Antimony Tin Oxide (ATO), silver ink and copper.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising incorporating the curved touch surface within a touch sensor panel.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising incorporating the touch sensor panel within a computing system.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising incorporating the touch sensor panel within a display device.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising incorporating the touch sensor panel within a touch mouse device.