Touch panel and method of manufacturing the same

• US 9,270,267 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DB HiTek Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Dongbu HiTek Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Young-Wook, Song, Joon, Kim, Han-Kyung, Song, Hyun, Hong, Won-Cheol, Ma, Ae-Young, Ko, Jong-Hwan, Lee, Jin-Ah
• Primary Examiner(s): Girardi, Vanessa
• Application Number:
  US14/207,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20150122623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 200/600, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/00 Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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: H01L 21/00 Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9618 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9613 using two electrodes per touch switch
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96015 Constructional details for touch switches for capacitive touch switches see H03K2217/9607

Abstract

A touch panel includes a transparent substrate, a first pattern/layer on the transparent substrate, and an second pattern/layer on or under the first pattern/layer. The first pattern/layer includes first electrodes detecting a first coordinate value and first metal interconnections connecting the first electrodes to a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). The second pattern/layer includes second electrodes detecting a second coordinate value and second metal interconnections connecting the second electrodes to the FPCB. The first and second metal interconnections extend on side and back surfaces of the transparent electrode. Therefore, the metal interconnections connect the first and second patterns/layers to the FPCB by being formed on the side and back surfaces of the transparent substrate, which reduces the length and/or width of the bezel (a non-active region).

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a transparent substrate comprising a film and glass;

a first pattern and/or layer on a top surface of the transparent substrate; and

a second pattern and/or layer on, over or under the first pattern and/or layer,

wherein the first pattern and/or layer comprises a plurality of first electrodes detecting a first coordinate value or location and a plurality of first metal interconnections connecting the first electrodes to a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB),

the second pattern layer comprises a plurality of second electrodes detecting a second coordinate value or location and a plurality of second metal interconnections connecting the second electrodes to the FPCB; and

the first metal interconnections are connected to an end of each of the first electrodes and are on side and back surfaces of the transparent substrate, and the second metal interconnections are connected to an end of each of the second electrodes and are on the side and back surfaces of the transparent substrate.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein each of the second metal interconnections are connected to a same side or end of each of the second electrodes.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the transparent substrate has one or more rounded side surfaces or edges.

4. The touch panel according to claim 3, wherein the one or more rounded side surfaces or edges has a predetermined curvature.

5. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein each of the first metal interconnections are connected to a same side or end of each of the first electrodes.

6. The touch panel according to claim 5, wherein each of the second metal interconnections are connected to a same side or end of each of the second electrodes.

7. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the FPCB is attached to a predetermined position or location on the back surface of the transparent substrate.

8. The touch panel according to claim 7, wherein each of the first and second metal interconnections comprise a bonding pad in a region in or adjacent to the predetermined position or location of the FPCB.

9. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second metal interconnections comprise a bonding pad.

10. The touch panel according to claim 9, wherein the bonding pads are in a region adjacent to the FPCB.

11. The touch panel according to claim 1, further comprising an optically clear adhesive (OCA) film on each of the top and bottom surfaces of the transparent substrate.

12. The touch panel according to claim 11, further comprising a polarized film on each of the OCA films.

13. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the first and second metal interconnections are respectively on top and back surfaces of the transparent substrate.

14. The touch panel according to claim 13, wherein the first and second metal interconnections are respectively on the top and side surfaces of the transparent substrate.

15. The touch panel according to claim 13, wherein the first and second metal interconnections are on back and side surfaces of the transparent substrate.

16. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the first coordinate value or location is along a Y or vertical axis of the touch panel.

17. The touch panel according to claim 16, wherein the second first coordinate value or location is along an X or horizontal axis of the touch panel.

18. The touch panel according to claim 17, wherein the first metal interconnections are on first side of the transparent substrate, and the second metal interconnections are on a second side of the transparent substrate.