Input device and method of manufacturing the same

• US 8,933,900 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2012
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONYEKABA, AMY
• Application Number:
  US13/402,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

A touch panel includes a transparent panel, a decorative layer which is formed in a decorative region on a first surface of the transparent panel, a transparent electrode which is formed from a transparent input region of the first surface to a surface of the decorative layer, and a wiring layer which is formed to extend to the surface of the decorative layer and electrically connected to the transparent electrode.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a transparent panel having an operating surface and a rear surface opposite to the operating surface;

a non-light-transmissive decorative layer directly formed on a decorative region of the rear surface of the transparent panel, the decorative region surrounding a transparent input region of the rear surface, the decorative layer including;

a flat portion having a same thickness; and

a tapered portion extending from the flat potion toward the transparent input region with a decreasing thickness such that an edge of the tapered portion of the decorative layer defining a boundary between the transparent input region and the decorative region, the tapered portion forming an inclined surface having an upward slope in a direction away from the transparent input region;

a transparent electrode directly formed on the transparent input region of the rear surface of the transparent panel, the transparent electrode extending along the inclined surface onto the flat portion of the decorative layer so as to overlap the decorative layer; and

a wiring layer electrically connected to the transparent electrode by overlapping the transparent electrode, the wiring layer only formed on the transparent electrode where the decorative layer is formed between the transparent panel and the transparent electrode in the decorative region, the wiring layer extending within the decorative region where the decorative layer is formed.

2. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein the decorative layer, the transparent electrode, and the wiring layer are printed layers.

3. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a protective layer provided over the rear surface to cover the transparent electrode and the wiring layer.

4. The input device according to claim 3, wherein the protective layer is a hard coat film including a thin PET (polyethylene terephthalate) base material and a hard coat layer formed thereon.

5. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein the transparent electrode includes a plurality of electrodes having a single-layer structure.

6. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second transparent electrode formed on the transparent electrode with a transparent insulating layer interposed therebetween.

7. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an insulating layer formed between the decorative layer and the wiring layer, and between the decorative layer and the transparent electrode.

8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent electrode is formed of a conductive ink

9. The input device according to claim 8, wherein the conductive ink is a PEDOT (Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene))—

containing conductive ink or a PSS (polystyrene sulfonates)—

containing conductive ink.

10. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the input device is a capacitance-type touch panel.

11. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the rear surface of the transparent panel is substantially flat across the transparent input region and the decorative region.

12. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the transparent electrode is sandwiched between the wiring layer and the decorative layer in the decorative region.

13. A method of manufacturing an input device having a transparent panel having an operating surface and a rear surface opposite to the operating surface, the method comprising:

printing a non-light-transmissive decorative layer directly on a decorative region of the rear surface of the transparent panel, the decorative region surrounding a transparent input region of the rear surface, the printing of the decorative layer including forming a flat portion having a substantially same thickness and a tapered portion extending from the flat portion toward the transparent input region with a decreasing thickness such that and edge of the tapered portion of the decorative layer defining a boundary between the transparent input region and the decorative region, the tapered portion forming an inclined surface having an upward slope in a direction away from the transparent input region;

printing a transparent electrode directly on the transparent input region of the rear surface of the transparent panel, the transparent electrode extending along the inclined surface onto the flat portion of the decorative layer so as to overlap the decorative layer; and

printing a wiring layer overlapping the transparent electrode in the decorative layer so as to be electrically connected to the transparent electrode, the wiring layer only formed on the transparent electrode where the decorative layer is formed between the transparent panel and the transparent electrode, the wiring layer extending within the decorative region where the decorative layer is formed.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

after printing the wiring layer, forming a protective layer over the rear surface to cover the transparent electrode and the wiring layer.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein forming the protective layer includes forming a hard coat film having a thin PET (polyethylene terephthalate) base material and a hard coat layer formed thereon.

16. The method according to claim 13,

wherein the transparent electrode includes a plurality of electrodes formed on the rear surface with a single-layer structure.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the printing transparent electrode is formed by printing a conductive ink.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the conductive ink is a PEDOT (Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxvthiophene))—

containing conductive ink or a PSS(polvstvrene sulfonates)—

containing conductive ink.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the input device is a capacitance-type touch panel.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the rear surface of the transparent panel is substantially flat across the transparent input region and the decorative region.