Repairable touch panel

• US 9,164,302 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hsuan, Wei-Yi, Lee, Yi-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Joe H
• Application Number:
  US14/067,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20140139755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1309 Repairing; Testing
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136259 Repairing; Defects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a touch panel having a touch failure portion and a pair of first contacts and a repairing component having a pair of second contacts. The repairing component is positioned on the touch panel at a position corresponding to the touch failure portion and the pair of first contacts is electrically coupled to the pair of second contacts.

Claims

1. A method for repairing a touch panel, the method comprising:

providing a touch panel having a touch failure portion and a pair of first contacts, and a main touch area having two edges, and wherein the pair of first contacts disposed on the two edges of the main touch area;

providing a repairing component having a repairing touch area and a pair of second contacts;

positioning on the touch panel the repairing component corresponding in position to the touch failure portion, and the pair of second contacts disposed on the two edges of the main touch area; and

electrically coupling the pair of first contacts to the pair of second contacts;

wherein the main touch area and the repairing touch area having substantially identical touch-control structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the main touch area further comprises:

a first substrate;

a first conductive layer disposed on the first substrate;

a spacer layer having a plurality of spacers and disposed on the first conductive layer;

a second conductive layer disposed on the spacer layer; and

a second substrate disposed on the second conductive layer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the main touch area further comprises;

a first probe disposed in the second conductive layer;

first voltage input lines disposed in the first conductive layer;

second voltage input lines disposed in the first conductive layer; and

a second probe disposed in the first conductive layer;

the method further comprises;

detecting a touch of the touch failure portion of the touch panel utilizing the second voltage input lines and the second probe; and

detecting a touch of another portion of touch panel not within the touch failure portion utilizing the first voltage input lines and the first probe.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the second substrate, the second conductive layer, and the spacer layer have a shorter length than the first conductive layer and the first substrate, such that edge portions of the first conductive layer are exposed to form the pair of first contacts; and

electrically coupling the pair of first contacts to the pair of second contacts includes electrically coupling the second contacts to the edge portions of the first conductive layer.

5. A repairable touch panel, comprising:

a main touch area having a pair of first contacts disposed on two edges thereof, wherein the main touch area includes;

a first substrate;

a first conductive layer disposed on the first substrate, the first conductive layer including a first probe and first voltage lines and a second probe and second voltage lines;

a spacer layer having a plurality of spacers and disposed on the first conductive layer;

a second conductive layer disposed on the spacer layer; and

a second substrate disposed on the second conductive layer;

wherein a touch of a touch failure portion of the touch panel is detected utilizing the second voltage input lines and the second probe and a touch of another portion of touch panel not within the touch failure portion is detected utilizing the four first voltage input lines and the first probe.

6. The repairable touch panel of claim 5, wherein:

the first substrate and the second substrate are made of a transparent resilient material which is one selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate (PC), polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), glass, and acrylate;

the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are made of a transparent conductive material which is one selected from the group consisting of conductive polymer, indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), and monocrystalline tin oxide crystal (SnO); and

the spacers are made of one selected from the group consisting of glass particles, plastic particles, polymer particles, and oxide particles.

7. A display apparatus comprising:

the repairable touch panel of claim 5; and

a repairing component including a repairing touch area having a pair of second contacts disposed on two edges thereof, wherein;

the repairing component is positioned on the touch panel such that the repairing touch area corresponds in position to a touch failure portion of the main touch area; and

the pair of first contacts are electrically coupled to the pair of second contacts.

8. The display apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the repairing component first conductive layer, the repairing component second conductive layer, and the repairing component second substrate have a greater length than the repairing component first substrate and the repairing component spacer layer, such that the pair of second contacts are formed; and

the display apparatus further includes an isolating layer disposed between the repairing component first conductive layer and the repairing component second conductive layer.

9. The display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the repairing touch area further comprises:

a repairing component first substrate;

a repairing component first conductive layer disposed on the repairing component first substrate;

a repairing component spacer layer having a plurality of spacers and disposed on the repairing component first conductive layer;

a repairing component second conductive layer disposed on the repairing component spacers; and

a repairing component second substrate disposed on the repairing component second conductive layer.

10. A display apparatus, comprising:

a touch panel having a touch failure portion and a pair of first contacts, and a main touch area having two edges, and wherein the pair of first contacts disposed on the two edges of the main touch area; and

a repairing component having a repairing touch area and a pair of second contacts, wherein;

the repairing component is positioned on the touch panel at a position corresponding to the touch failure portion, and the pair of second contacts disposed on the two edges of the main touch area; and

the pair of first contacts is electrically coupled to the pair of second contacts;

wherein the main touch area and the repairing touch area having substantially identical touch-control structure.

11. The display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the main touch area further comprises:

a first substrate;

a first conductive layer disposed on the first substrate;

a spacer layer having a plurality of spacers and disposed on the first conductive layer;

a second conductive layer disposed on the spacer layer; and

a second substrate disposed on the second conductive layer.

12. The display apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the main touch area further comprises;

a first probe disposed in the second conductive layer;

first voltage input lines disposed in the first conductive layer;

second voltage input lines disposed in the first conductive layer; and

a second probe disposed in the first conductive layer;

a touch of the touch failure portion of the touch panel is detected utilizing the second voltage input lines and the second probe and a touch of another portion of touch panel not within the touch failure portion is detected utilizing the first voltage input lines and the first probe.

13. The display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second substrate, the second conductive layer, and the spacer layer have a shorter length than the first conductive layer and the first substrate, such that edge portions of the first conductive layer are exposed to form the pair of first contacts.

14. The display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the repairing touch area comprises:

a repairing component first substrate;

a repairing component first conductive layer disposed on the repairing component first substrate;

a repairing component spacer layer having a plurality of spacers and disposed on the repairing component first conductive layer;

a repairing component second conductive layer disposed on the repairing component spacers; and

a repairing component second substrate disposed on the repairing component second conductive layer.

15. The display apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the repairing component first conductive layer, the repairing component second conductive layer, and the repairing component second substrate have a greater length than the repairing component first substrate and the repairing component spacer layer, such that the pair of second contacts are formed; and

the display apparatus further includes an isolating layer disposed between the repairing component first conductive layer and the repairing component second conductive layer.