Touch screen and method of producing the same

• US 9,179,557 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen O-Film Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen O-Film Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Tang, Genchu, Dong, Shengcai, Liu, Wei, Tang, Bin
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, PRIYANK J
• Application Number:
  US13/968,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20140290980A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• 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 2203/04112 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: H05K 1/0289 having a matrix lay-out, i.e. having selectively interconnectable sets of X-conductors and Y-conductors in different planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09681 Mesh conductors, e.g. as a ground plane
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0108 Male die used for patterning, punching or transferring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4605 made from inorganic insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/465 by applying an insulating layer having channels for the next circuit layer

Abstract

A touch screen comprises a glass substrate, a first conductive layer, an insulating adhesive layer and a second conductive layer. The first conductive layer is directly formed on the glass substrate and comprises first conductive pattern areas; the insulating adhesive layer is attached to the glass substrate, and one side of the insulating adhesive layer close to the glass substrate forms a first groove; the first conductive pattern area is received in the first groove and insulated from each other; one side of the insulating adhesive layer away from the glass substrate, is provided with a second groove; and the second conductive layer is received in the second groove, thus forming a plurality of second conductive pattern areas insulated with each other. The first conductive layer is directly formed on the glass substrate and made of a metal material, thus omitting an adhesive layer and saving the cost.

Claims

1. A touch screen, comprising:

a glass substrate, comprising a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to the first surface, wherein the first surface is attached with a first conductive layer;

the first conductive layer comprises a plurality of first conductive pattern areas;

each of the first conductive pattern area comprises a metal grid consisting of a plurality of crossed metal wires;

the first conductive pattern area is a metal plating layer attached to the first surface of the glass substrate through graphical etching; and

the plurality of the first conductive pattern areas are insulated from each other;

an insulating adhesive layer, attached on the first surface, wherein a first groove, matched with the first conductive pattern area, is formed on one side of the insulating adhesive layer close to the first surface;

the first conductive pattern area is received in the first groove;

one side of the insulating adhesive layer away from the first surface, is provided with a second groove with a preset shape; and

the second groove is formed through graphical imprinting and a depth to width ratio of the second groove is larger than 1; and

a second conductive layer, comprising a plurality of second conductive pattern areas, wherein the second conductive pattern area comprises a conductive grid consisting of a plurality of crossed conductive wires;

a conductive material is filled in the second groove and cured, thus forming the conductive grid of the second conductive pattern area; and

a plurality of the second conductive pattern areas are insulated from each other;

wherein, a projection of the first conductive pattern area, which is projected on a surface of the second conductive pattern area, is intersected with the second conductive pattern area,

wherein the insulating adhesive layer comprises a first insulating adhesive layer and a second insulating adhesive layer in sequence along a direction away from the first surface;

the first groove is formed on one side of the first insulating adhesive layer close to the first surface; and

the second groove is provided on one side of the second insulating adhesive layer away from the first surface, and

further comprising a cutout, a first lead wire and a second lead wire;

wherein the first lead wire is attached to the first surface of the glass substrate;

one end of the first lead wire is electrically connected with the first conductive pattern area;

the second lead wire is embedded in one side of the second insulating adhesive layer far away from the glass substrate;

one end of the second lead wire is electrically connected with the second conductive pattern area;

the cutout is provided at one end of the first insulating adhesive layer, which aligns with the other end of the first lead wire;

the cutout cuts through the first insulating adhesive layer and the second insulating adhesive layer;

the other end of the first lead wire and the other end of the second leading wire are exposed to the same side of the second insulating adhesive layer through the cutout.

2. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the second conductive layer is not larger than a depth of the second groove.

3. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of a grid wire of the metal grid of the first conductive pattern area is within a range of 10-50 nm.

4. The touch screen according to claim 3, wherein a metal wire of the first conductive pattern area is a transparent wire, and the light transmittance of the first conductive pattern area is more than 80%.

5. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein the width of the grid wire of the metal grid of the second conductive pattern area is within a range of 500 nm-5 μ

m.

6. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein the glass substrate is made of soda-lime glass or aluminosilicate glass.

7. A method of producing a touch screen, comprising the following steps:

providing a glass substrate, wherein the glass substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface which are arranged oppositely;

forming a first conductive layer, wherein the first conductive layer is directly formed on the first surface and has a plurality of first conductive pattern areas;

the first conductive pattern area comprises a metal grid consisting of a plurality of crossed metal wires; and

the plurality of the first conductive pattern areas are insulated from each other;

coating an insulating adhesive layer, wherein the insulating adhesive layer is coated on the first surface, a first groove, matched with the first conductive pattern area, is formed on one side of the insulating adhesive layer close to the first surface; and

the first conductive pattern area is received in the first groove;

imprinting a second groove, wherein the second groove is imprinted in one side of the insulating adhesive layer with a preset shape, the one side is far away from the first surface, and a depth to width ratio of the second groove is larger than 1;

forming a second conductive layer, wherein a conductive material is filled in the second groove and cured, thus forming a second conductive layer with a plurality of second conductive pattern areas;

the second conductive pattern area comprises a conductive grid formed by a conductive wire;

the conductive grid is received in the second groove;

the plurality of the second conductive pattern areas are insulated from each other; and

a projection of the first conductive pattern area, which is projected on the surface of the second conductive pattern area, is intersected with the second conductive pattern area,

wherein coating the insulating adhesive layer comprises the following steps;

coating a first insulating adhesive layer, wherein the first groove, matched with the first conductive pattern area, is formed on one side of the first insulating adhesive layer close to the first surface; and

the first conductive pattern area is received in the first groove;

curing the first insulating adhesive layer;

coating a second insulating adhesive layer, wherein the second groove, matched with the second conductive pattern area, is formed on one side of the second insulating adhesive layer away from the first surface, and

forming a cutout, a first lead wire and a second lead wire;

wherein the first lead wire is attached to the first surface of the glass substrate;

one end of the first lead wire is electrically connected with the first conductive pattern area;

the second lead wire is embedded in one side of the second insulating adhesive layer far away from the glass substrate;

one end of the second lead wire is electrically connected with the second conductive pattern area;

the cutout is provided at one end of the first insulating adhesive layer, which aligns with the other end of the first lead wire;

the cutout cuts through the first insulating adhesive layer and the second insulating adhesive layer;

the other end of the first lead wire and the other end of the second leading wire are exposed to the same side of the second insulating adhesive layer through the cutout.

8. The method of producing a touch screen according to claim 7, wherein forming the first conductive layer particularly comprises the following steps:

plating, wherein a conductive metal plating layer is formed on the first surface of the glass substrate through electroless plating, electroplating, vacuum sputtering or evaporation;

coating a photoresist, wherein the photoresist is coated on the surface of the metal plating layer;

exposing and developing, wherein the photoresist is exposed and developed to facilitate a photoresist layer to form a plurality of the first conductive pattern areas;

etching, wherein the exposed part of the metal plating layer except the first conductive pattern area is eliminated to form the first conductive layer with a plurality of the first conductive pattern areas;

the first conductive pattern area comprises a metal grid consisting of a plurality of crossed metal wires; and

the plurality of the first conductive pattern areas are insulated from each other.

9. The method of producing a touch screen according to claim 7, wherein the glass substrate is made of soda-lime glass or aluminosilicate glass.