Single-layer projected capacitive touch panel and method of manufacturing the same

• US 9,116,589 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2014
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions (Xiamen) Inc. (TPK Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TPK Touch Solutions (Xiamen) Inc. (TPK Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mi, David
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERMAN, STEPHEN G
• Application Number:
  US14/177,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-178, 178 1801- 1809, 178/18.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/30 Assembling printed circuits with electric components, e.g. with resistor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

A single-layer projected capacitive touch panel has a glass cover, a touch sensing circuit layer, an insulating ink layer, a conductive wire layer, an insulator layer, a conductive glue layer and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board. The touch sensing circuit layer, the insulating ink layer, the conductive wire layer, the insulator layer and the conductive glue layer are mounted on a circuit surface of the glass cover in sequence. The insulating ink layer covers the touch sensing circuit layer and has multiple through slots. Each through slot is filled with an electric conductor. The FPC is fastened on the conductive wire layer by a conductive glue layer. Therefore, the touch panel of the present invention is thinner, provides better penetrability and costs less than conventional projected capacitive touch panels.

Claims

1. A projected capacitive touch panel, comprising:

a glass cover having an operating surface and a circuit surface;

a touch sensing circuit layer formed on the circuit surface;

an insulating ink layer partially covering the touch sensing circuit layer, wherein the covered area of the touch sensing circuit layer is defined as multiple edge zones, the uncovered area of the touch sensing circuit layer is defined as a touch sensing zone, wherein the insulating ink layer has multiple through slots on the edge zones such that the through slots correspond to and expose the touch sensing circuit layer, wherein each through slot has an electric conductor therein; and

a conductive wire layer formed on the insulating ink layer and electrically connecting the touch sensing circuit layer via the electric conductors.

2. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 1, further comprising an insulator layer formed on the conductive wire layer, wherein the insulator layer has a breach to partially expose the conductive wire layer.

3. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 2, further comprising a conductive glue layer corresponding to the breach to cover the exposed conductive wire layer.

4. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 3, further comprising a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board attached to the conductive glue layer and electrically connecting the conductive wire layer via the conductive glue layer.

5. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 4, further comprising a consolidating glue layer formed between the FPC board and the glass cover.

6. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 5, wherein the consolidating glue layer is located along the outer periphery of the insulating ink layer.

7. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 3, wherein the conductive glue layer is made of anisotropic conductive film (ACF) or anisotropic conductive paste (ACP).

8. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 4, further comprising a fastening member disposed under the FPC board, wherein the fastening member attaches to an outer surface of the conductive glue layer, an outer surface of the conductive wire layer and an outer surface of the insulating ink layer.

9. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 1, wherein color of each electric conductor is similar to color of the insulating ink layer.

10. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 1, wherein the insulating ink layer is made of dark ink.

11. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 1, wherein the conductive wire layer is made of silver glue.

12. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 1, wherein the insulating ink layer has a ring shape, and wherein the through slots are arranged on the inner periphery of the insulating ink layer.

13. A method of manufacturing a projected capacitive touch panel comprising steps of:

providing a glass cover having an operating surface and a circuit surface;

forming a touch sensing circuit layer on the circuit surface of the glass cover;

forming an insulating ink layer on the touch sensing circuit layer, wherein the insulating ink layer partially covers the touch sensing circuit layer, the covered area of the touch sensing circuit layer is defined as multiple edge zones, the uncovered area of the touch sensing circuit layer is defined as a touch sensing zone, and wherein the insulating ink layer has multiple through slots on the edge zones correspond to and expose the touch sensing circuit layer;

forming electric conductors into the through slots; and

forming a conductive wire layer on the insulating ink layer to contact with the electric conductors, thereby electrically connecting the touch sensing circuit layer via the electric conductors.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising a step of forming an insulator layer with a breach on the conductive wire layer, wherein the conductive wire layer is partially exposed through the breach.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising a step of mounting a flexible printed circuit (FPC) board on the exposed conductive wire layer with a conductive glue layer, such that the FPC board electrically connects to the conductive wire layer via the conductive glue layer.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising a step of applying a consolidating glue layer to and between the FPC board and the glass cover after the step of installing the FPC board.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the insulator layer is formed by using a screen printing method.

18. A projected capacitive touch panel, comprising:

a glass cover having a first surface and a second surface;

a touch sensing circuit layer formed on the second surface;

an insulating ink layer partially covering the touch sensing circuit layer, wherein the covered area of the touch sensing circuit layer is defined as multiple edge zones, the uncovered area of the touch sensing circuit layer is defined as a touch sensing zone, wherein the insulating ink layer has multiple through slots on the edge zones such that the through slots correspond to and expose the touch sensing circuit layer, wherein each through slot has an electric conductor therein; and

a conductive wire layer formed on the insulating ink layer such that the conductive wire layer is invisible upon viewing through the insulating ink layer from the first surface of the glass cover, wherein the conductive wire layer electrically connects the touch sensing circuit layer via the electric conductors.

19. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 18, wherein color of each electric conductor is similar to color of the insulating ink layer.

20. The projected capacitive touch panel of claim 18, wherein the insulating ink layer is made of dark ink.