Touch panel incorporating display device

• US 8,654,092 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Moriwaki, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): HALEY, JOSEPH R
• Application Number:
  US13/146,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20110291977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136286 Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/40 Arrangements for improving the aperture ratio
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

In a touch panel incorporating a display device, a first sensor line (120) narrower than a first dummy line (130) is disposed on an interlayer insulating film (240) formed on an insulating substrate (100) at a location corresponding to a first dummy line (130), and a second sensor line (150) narrower than the data line (140) is formed on the interlayer insulating film (240) at the location corresponding to the data line (140). The first sensor line (120) and the second sensor line (150) are disposed such that they do not extend beyond the widths of the first dummy line (130) and the data line (140), respectively, when observed in a plan view. Provided is a touch panel incorporating a display device in which the locations of the first sensor line (120) and the second sensor line (150) are adjusted to prevent the aperture ratio reduction in the display element section (11).

Claims

1. A touch panel incorporating a display device, having a first insulating substrate and a second insulating substrate facing each other, and identifying the location of a touch on a surface of said second insulating substrate based on a prescribed voltage supplied when said surface is touched, the touch panel comprising:

a plurality of first sensor lines formed on said first insulating substrate to extend in a first direction;

a plurality of second sensor lines formed on said first insulating substrate to extend in a second direction crossing said first direction;

a first wiring formed to extend in said first direction and including a plurality of gate lines;

a second wiring formed to extend in said second direction and including a plurality of data lines;

a plurality of display element sections formed for respective regions where said plurality of gate lines and said plurality of data lines cross each other; and

a location-identifying circuit that identifies the location of a touch on a surface of said second insulating substrate based on a prescribed voltage supplied, when the surface is touched, to said first and second sensor lines connected to said display element sections at the location that is touched,

wherein said second insulating substrate has a pressing electrode provided with said prescribed voltage,

wherein at least either said first sensor line or said second sensor line is disposed over any one of wirings included in said first wiring or said second wiring in such manner as to overlap at least partially in the width direction with said any one of the wirings included in said first wiring or said second wiring when observed in a plan view,

wherein at least either said first sensor line or said second sensor line is constituted of separate conductive bodies,

wherein said separate conductive bodies are electrically connected to each other through a connecting body, and

wherein said pressing electrode touches said connecting body when a surface of said second insulating substrate is pressed, to supply said prescribed voltage to said separate conductive bodies.

2. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 1,

wherein at least one of said first wiring and said second wiring further includes either a plurality of first dummy lines formed to extend in said first direction and provided with a reference voltage or a plurality of second dummy lines formed to extend in said second direction and provided with said reference voltage, and

wherein said location-identifying circuit includes a comparative identifying circuit that identifies the location of a touch on a surface of the second insulating substrate by comparing said prescribed voltage supplied, when said surface is touched, to said first sensor line and said second sensor line against said reference voltage.

3. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 2, wherein said first wiring further includes an auxiliary capacitance line formed to extend in said first direction.

4. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 1, wherein said first wiring further includes an auxiliary capacitance line formed to extend in said first direction.

5. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 1,

wherein said first sensor line and said second sensor line are each formed of a conductive film in the same layer.

6. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 1, wherein said first sensor line is disposed over said gate line,

wherein said second sensor line is formed of a conductive film in the same layer as said first sensor line, and is disposed over said data line

wherein one of said first sensor line and said second sensor line is constituted of a single conductive body, and the other of the sensor lines is constituted of two conductive bodies sandwiching said single conductive body,

wherein said two conductive bodies are electrically connected to each other through said connecting body,

wherein said pressing electrode touches said connecting body when a surface of said second insulating substrate is pressed, to supply said prescribed voltage to said two conductive bodies.

7. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of first sensor electrodes electrically connected to said first sensor lines and provided in respective said display element sections; and

a plurality of second sensor electrodes connected to said second sensor lines and provided in respective said display element sections,

wherein said second insulating substrate faces the first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode, with a prescribed space therebetween, and

wherein when a surface of said second insulating substrate is pressed, said pressing electrode at the location that is pressed touches the corresponding first sensor electrode and the corresponding second sensor electrode to supply said prescribed voltage to said first sensor line and said second sensor line.

8. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 7,

wherein either said first sensor electrode or said second sensor electrode corresponding to said at least either said first sensor line or said second sensor line that is constituted of the separate conductive bodies includes said connecting body electrically connecting said separate conductive bodies together.

9. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 8, wherein said first sensor line is formed of a conductive film in a layer above said gate line and said data line, and is disposed over either said gate line or said first dummy line,

wherein said second sensor line is formed of a conductive film in the same layer as said first sensor line, and is disposed over said data line

wherein one of said first sensor line and said second sensor line is constituted of a single conductive body, and the other of the sensor lines is constituted of two conductive bodies sandwiching said single conductive body, and

wherein said two conductive bodies are electrically connected to each other through said connecting body.

10. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 9,

wherein one of said first and second sensor electrodes electrically connected to said one of said first sensor line and said second sensor line has a first contact hole leading to said single conductive body, and has a first pad section that is formed at a location facing said pressing electrode and that is electrically connected to said single conductive body through said first contact hole,

wherein one of said first and said second sensor electrode that is electrically connected to the other one of the sensor lines has a second contact hole and a third contact hole leading to said respective two conductive bodies, and has a second pad section that is disposed at a location facing said pressing electrode and that is electrically connected to said two conductive bodies respectively through said second and said third contact holes, and

wherein a distance between said first pad section and said pressing electrode is equal to a distance between said second pad section and said pressing electrode.

11. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 7,

wherein said first sensor line is formed of a conductive film in the same layer as said gate line and is disposed to extend in the first direction, and

wherein said second sensor line is formed of a conductive film in a layer above said gate line and said data line, and disposed over said data line.

12. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 7,

wherein said first sensor line is formed of a conductive film in a same layer as said gate line, and is disposed to extend in the first direction, and

wherein said second sensor line is formed of a conductive film in a layer above said gate line and said data line, and is disposed over said second dummy line.

13. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 7,

wherein said first sensor line is formed of a conductive film in a layer above said gate line and said data line, and is disposed over said first dummy line, and

wherein said second sensor line is formed of a conductive film in a same layer as said data line, and is disposed to extend in the second direction.

14. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 7,

wherein said first sensor line is formed of a conductive film in a layer above said gate line and said data line, and is disposed over said gate line, and

wherein said second sensor line is formed of a conductive film in a same layer as said data line, and is disposed to extend in the second direction.

15. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 11,

wherein said first sensor electrode includes a first pad electrode composed of a pad wiring branching off from said first sensor line and conductive pads sequentially laminated thereon, the conductive pads being made of conductive films in layers above said first sensor electrode, and

wherein said second sensor electrode includes a second pad electrode composed of a pad wiring branching off from said second sensor line and conductive pads sequentially laminated thereon, said conductive pads being made of conductive films in layers above said second pad electrode.

16. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 9, further comprising a black matrix disposed over said pressing electrode to cover said pressing electrode.

17. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a plurality of first sensor electrodes electrically connected to the first sensor lines and provided in the respective display element sections; and

a plurality of second sensor electrodes electrically connected to said second sensor lines and provided in the respective display element sections,

wherein said second insulating substrate faces the first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode with a prescribed space provided inbetween, and

wherein when a surface of said second insulating substrate is pressed, said pressing electrode at the location that is pressed touches said corresponding first sensor electrode and said corresponding second sensor electrode to supply the prescribed voltage to said first sensor line and said second sensor line.

18. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 17,

wherein one of said first sensor electrode and said second sensor electrode corresponding to said at least either said first sensor line or said second sensor line that is constituted of separate conductive bodies includes said connecting body that connects the separate conductive bodies together.

19. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 18,

wherein said auxiliary capacitance line is formed of a conductive film in the same layer as said gate line,

wherein said first sensor line is formed of a conductive film in the same layer as said second sensor line and is disposed over said auxiliary capacitance line,

wherein one of said first sensor line and said second sensor line is constituted of a single conductive body, and the other one of the sensor lines are constituted of two conductive bodies sandwiching said single conductive body, and

wherein said two conductive bodies are electrically connected to each other through said connecting body.

20. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 19, wherein said first dummy line made of a conductive film in the same layer as said second sensor line is further disposed over said auxiliary capacitance line.

21. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 19,

wherein one of said first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode electrically connected to said one of said first sensor line and said second sensor line has a first contact hole that leads to said single conductive body, and has a first pad section that is disposed facing the pressing electrode, and that is electrically connected to said single conductive body through said first contact hole,

wherein one of said first sensor electrode and said second sensor electrode electrically connected to said the other one of the sensor lines has second and third contact holes that respectively lead to said two conductive bodies, and has a second pad section that is disposed facing said pressing electrode and that is electrically connected to said two conductive bodies respectively through said second and third contact holes, and

wherein a distance between said first pad section and said pressing electrode is equal to a distance between said second pad section and said pressing electrode.

22. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 19, further comprising a black matrix disposed over said pressing electrode to cover said pressing electrode.

23. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 17, wherein said auxiliary capacitance line is formed of a conductive film in the same layer as the gate line,

wherein said gate line and said auxiliary capacitance line are formed of a light-shielding conductive film,

wherein said first sensor line is formed of a conductive film in a layer above said gate line and said data line, and is disposed over said auxiliary capacitance line,

wherein said second sensor line is formed of a conductive film in a same layer as said data line, and is disposed to extend in the second direction,

wherein said first sensor electrode and said second sensor electrode are disposed over said auxiliary capacitance line, and

wherein at least said first sensor line is disposed over said auxiliary capacitance line, between said first and second sensor electrodes and an edge in width direction of said auxiliary capacitance line.

24. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 23, wherein the first dummy line made of a conductive film in the same layer as said first sensor line is further disposed above said auxiliary capacitance line, between said first sensor line and an edge in width direction of said auxiliary capacitance line.

25. The touch panel incorporating a display device according claim 23,

wherein said first sensor electrode includes a first pad electrode in which conductive pads made of conductive films of layers above said first sensor electrode are sequentially laminated on a pad wiring branching off from said first sensor line, and

wherein said second sensor electrode includes a second pad electrode in which conductive pads made of conductive films of layers above the second sensor electrode are sequentially laminated on a pad wiring branching off from the second sensor line.

26. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 4,

wherein said auxiliary capacitance line is formed of a conductive film in a same layer as said gate line,

wherein said first sensor line is disposed over the auxiliary capacitance line,

wherein said second sensor line is formed of a conductive film in a same layer as said first sensor line and is disposed over said data line that is formed over said auxiliary capacitance line,

wherein one of said first sensor line and said second sensor line is constituted of a single conductive body, and the other one of the sensor lines is constituted of two conductive bodies,

wherein said two conductive bodies are electrically connected to each other through said connecting body, and

wherein when a surface of said second insulating substrate is pressed, said pressing electrode touches said connecting body to supply said prescribed voltage to said two conductive bodies.

30. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 12,

wherein said first sensor electrode includes a first pad electrode composed of a pad wiring branching off from said first sensor line and conductive pads sequentially laminated thereon, the conductive pads being made of conductive films in layers above said first sensor electrode, and

wherein said second sensor electrode includes a second pad electrode composed of a pad wiring branching off from said second sensor line and conductive pads sequentially laminated thereon, said conductive pads being made of conductive films in layers above said second pad electrode.

31. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 13,

wherein said first sensor electrode includes a first pad electrode composed of a pad wiring branching off from said first sensor line and conductive pads sequentially laminated thereon, the conductive pads being made of conductive films in layers above said first sensor electrode, and

wherein said second sensor electrode includes a second pad electrode composed of a pad wiring branching off from said second sensor line and conductive pads sequentially laminated thereon, said conductive pads being made of conductive films in layers above said second pad electrode.

32. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 14,

wherein said first sensor electrode includes a first pad electrode composed of a pad wiring branching off from said first sensor line and conductive pads sequentially laminated thereon, the conductive pads being made of conductive films in layers above said first sensor electrode, and

wherein said second sensor electrode includes a second pad electrode composed of a pad wiring branching off from said second sensor line and conductive pads sequentially laminated thereon, said conductive pads being made of conductive films in layers above said second pad electrode.

27. A touch panel incorporating a display device having a first insulating substrate and a second insulating substrate facing each other, identifying a touch on said second insulating substrate based on a prescribed voltage supplied when the surface is touched and a reference voltage provided in advance, the touch panel comprising:

at least either a plurality of first dummy lines disposed on said first insulating substrate to extend in a first direction and provided with the reference voltage or a plurality of second dummy lines disposed on said first insulating substrate to extend in a second direction crossing the first direction and provided with the reference voltage;

a first wiring formed to extend in the first direction and including a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of first sensor lines;

a second wiring formed to extend in the second direction and including a plurality of data lines and a plurality of second sensor lines;

a plurality of display element sections formed in respective regions where the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines cross each other;

a location-identifying circuit that identifies the location of a touch on a surface of said second insulating substrate by comparing said prescribed voltage that is supplied, when said surface is touched, to said first and second sensor lines connected to said display element sections at the location of the touch against said reference voltage; and

a connecting body disposed over at least either said first dummy line or said second dummy line,

wherein said first dummy line and said second dummy line are formed of conductive films in the same layer, and said at least either said first dummy line or said second dummy line is constituted of two separate conductive bodies,

wherein said separate conductive bodies are electrically connected to each other through said second connecting body, and

wherein at least either one of said first dummy line or said second dummy line is disposed over any one of wirings included in said first wiring or said second wiring in such manner as to overlap at least partially in the width direction with said any one of the wirings included in said first wiring or said second wiring when observed in a plan view.

28. The touch panel incorporating a display device according to claim 27, wherein said first wiring further includes an auxiliary capacitance line formed to extend in the first direction.

29. A touch panel incorporating a display device, having a first insulating substrate and a second insulating substrate facing each other, and identifying the location of a touch on a surface of said second insulating substrate based on a prescribed voltage supplied when said surface is touched, the touch panel comprising:

a plurality of first sensor lines formed on said first insulating substrate to extend in a first direction;

a plurality of second sensor lines formed on said first insulating substrate to extend in a second direction crossing said first direction;

a first wiring formed to extend in said first direction and including a plurality of gate lines;

a second wiring formed to extend in said second direction and including a plurality of data lines;

a plurality of display element sections formed for respective regions where said plurality of gate lines and said plurality of data lines cross each other; and

a location-identifying circuit that identifies the location of a touch on a surface of said second insulating substrate based on a prescribed voltage supplied, when the surface is touched, to said first and second sensor lines connected to said display element sections at the location that is touched,

wherein at least either said first sensor line or said second sensor line is disposed over any one of wirings included in said first wiring or said second wiring in such manner as to overlap at least partially in the width direction with said any one of the wirings included in said first wiring or said second wiring when observed in a plan view,

wherein said display element section includes a thin film transistor, and

wherein an oxide film conversion thickness of an insulating layer between said gate line and said data line is greater than the oxide film conversion thickness of a gate insulating layer of said thin film transistor.