Complementary touch panel electrodes

• US 9,164,607 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Frey, Matthew H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moon, Seokyun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Acha, III, Josemarie G
• Application Number:
  US13/689,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

A multi-layer touch panel having an upper and a lower electrode that cross over one another. The electrode pattern for either electrode at the cross over area is complementary to the other electrode at the cross over area.

Claims

1. A multi-layer touch panel, comprising:

an upper electrode comprised of an interconnected upper mesh of micro-wire conductors;

a lower electrode comprised of an interconnected lower mesh of micro-wire conductors;

a dielectric disposed between the upper electrode and lower electrode;

wherein the upper electrode crosses-over the lower electrode at a cross-over area, thus defining an upper electrode cross-over area having a first conductor pattern, and a lower electrode cross-over area having a second conductor pattern;

wherein the first conductor pattern has a first variable active areal conductor density and the second conductor pattern has a second variable active areal conductor density; and

,

wherein the first and second variable active areal conductor densities are complementary to one another.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the first and second patterns are comprised of micro-wire conductor cells, and wherein the average cell size of the first pattern is greater than the average cell size of the second pattern.

3. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the cells comprise pseudorandom shapes.

4. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the average cell sizes of the first and second pattern range from between 50 micrometers to 1 centimeter.

5. The touch panel of claim 4, wherein the average cell sizes of the first and second pattern range from between 100 micrometers and 5 millimeters.

6. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the first and second patterns are comprised of micro-wire conductor cells, and wherein the cells of the first pattern have an average cell size of between 100 micrometers and 5 millimeters, and wherein the cells of the second pattern have an average cell size of between 50 micrometers and 100 micrometers.

7. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the upper electrode cross-over area has a first average active areal conductor density, the lower electrode cross-over area has a second average active area conductor density, and the second average active area conductor density is greater than the first average active areal conductor density.

8. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the upper mesh and lower mesh comprise metallic traces having widths of between 0.5 and 10 micrometers.

9. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the upper mesh and lower mesh comprise metallic traces having widths of between 0.75 and 5 micrometers.

10. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the upper mesh and the lower mesh comprise curved traces.

11. A multi-layer touch panel, comprising:

an upper electrode comprised of an interconnected upper mesh of micro-wire conductors;

a lower electrode comprised of an interconnected lower mesh of micro-wire conductors;

a dielectric disposed between the upper electrode and lower electrode;

wherein the upper electrode crosses-over the lower electrode at a cross-over area, thus defining an upper electrode cross-over area having a first conductor pattern, and a lower electrode cross-over area having a second conductor pattern;

wherein the first conductor pattern has a uniform active areal conductor density and the second conductor pattern has a variable active areal conductor density; and

,

wherein at least a portion of the second conductor pattern has a higher active areal conductor density than the active areal conductor density of the first conductor pattern.

12. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the first and second patterns are comprised of micro-wire conductor cells, and wherein the average cell size of the first pattern is greater than the average cell size of the second pattern.

13. The touch panel of claim 12, wherein the cells comprise pseudorandom shapes.

14. The touch panel of claim 12, wherein the averages cell sizes of the first and second pattern range from between 50 micrometers to 1 centimeter.

15. The touch panel of claim 14, wherein the average cell sizes of the first and second pattern range from between 100 micrometers and 5 millimeters.

16. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the first and second patterns are comprised of micro-wire conductor cells, and wherein the cells of the first pattern have an average cell size of between 100 micrometers and 5 millimeters, and wherein the cells of the second pattern have an average cell size of between 50 micrometers and 100 micrometers.

17. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the upper electrode cross-over area has a first average active areal conductor density, the lower electrode cross-over area has a second average active area conductor density, and the second average active area conductor density is greater than the first average active areal conductor density.

18. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the upper mesh and lower mesh comprise metallic traces having widths of between 0.5 and 10 micrometers.

19. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the upper mesh and lower mesh comprise metallic traces having widths of between 0.75 and 5 micrometers.

20. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the upper mesh and the lower mesh comprise curved traces.

22. The touch panel of claim 11, wherein the first and second patterns are comprised of micro-wire conductor cells, and wherein the average cell size of the first pattern is greater than the average cell size of the second pattern.

23. The touch panel of claim 22, wherein the cells comprise pseudorandom shapes.

24. The touch panel of claim 22, wherein the cell sizes of the first and second pattern range from between 50 micrometers to 1 centimeter.

25. The touch panel of claim 24, wherein the cell sizes of the first and second pattern range from between 100 micrometers and 5 millimeters.

21. A multi-layer touch panel, comprising:

an upper electrode comprised of an interconnected upper mesh of micro-wire conductors;

a lower electrode comprised of an interconnected lower mesh of micro-wire conductors;

a dielectric disposed between the upper electrode and lower electrode;

wherein the upper electrode crosses-over the lower electrode at a cross-over area, thus defining an upper electrode cross-over area having a first conductor pattern, and a lower electrode cross-over area having a second conductor pattern;

wherein the first conductor pattern has a variable active areal conductor density and the second conductor pattern has a uniform active areal conductor density; and

,

wherein at least a portion of the first conductor pattern has a lower active areal conductor density than the active areal conductor density of the second conductor pattern.

26. The touch panel of claim 21, wherein the first and second patterns are comprised of micro-wire conductor cells, and wherein the cells of the first pattern have an average cell size of between 100 micrometers and 5 millimeters, and wherein the cells of the second pattern have an average cell size of between 50 micrometers and 100 micrometers.

27. The touch panel of claim 21, wherein the upper electrode cross-over area has a first average active areal conductor density, the lower electrode cross-over area has a second average active area conductor density, and the second average active area conductor density is greater than the first average active areal conductor density.

28. The touch panel of claim 21, wherein the upper mesh and lower mesh comprise metallic traces having widths of between 0.5 and 10 micrometers.

29. The touch panel of claim 21, wherein the upper mesh and lower mesh comprise metallic traces having widths of between 0.75 and 5 micrometers.

30. The touch panel of claim 21, wherein the upper mesh and the lower mesh comprise curved traces.