Display device

• US 9,285,931 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2009
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paneltouch Technologies LLC (Touch Display LLC)
• Original Assignee: Japan Display Incorporated, Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mamba, Norio, Furuhashi, Tsutomu, Anno, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Nicholas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holland, James M
• Application Number:
  US12/423,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20090256821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,527 Days
• Field of Search: 345/174, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

The electrostatic capacity coupling type touch panel includes X electrodes (XP) and Y electrodes (YP) which intersect each other via a first insulating layer, and a plurality of Z electrodes in floating states to each other via a second insulating layer. For the second insulating layer, a material which changes in thickness by pressing of touch is used. The Z electrode is disposed so as to overlap both an X electrode and a Y electrode which are adjacent to each other. In a pad part of the X electrode, an area is larger toward the center of the X electrode and an area is smaller toward the center of the adjacent X electrode. Therefore, the nonconductive input means can be used, and highly accurate position detection is realized with a small number of electrodes even when a touch area is small.

Claims

1. A display device having an electrostatic capacity touch panel for detecting touch position coordinates in a display region by an electrostatic capacity coupling method, wherein the electrostatic capacity touch panel comprises:

a plurality of X electrodes which extend in a first direction in a first plane, wherein each of the X electrodes is formed by thin line parts and pad parts which are alternately arranged in the first direction;

a plurality of Y electrodes which extend in a second direction, which intersects the first direction, in a second plane, wherein each of the Y electrodes is formed by thin line parts and pad parts which are alternately arranged in the second direction;

a plurality of Z electrodes which are in a third plane, and are at an electrically floating state with respect to each other;

a first insulating layer which is located between the first plane and the second plane; and

a second insulating layer which is located between the second plane and the third plane;

wherein the first, second and third planes are planes different from one another;

wherein each of the plurality of X electrodes and each of the plurality of Y electrodes intersect each other via the first insulating layer;

wherein the pad part of the each of the plurality of X electrodes and the pad part of the each of the plurality of Y electrodes are disposed without overlapping each other in plan view;

wherein each of the plurality of Z electrodes overlaps both an X electrode and a Y electrode which are adjacent to each other in plan view; and

wherein a difference between a combined capacity between the X electrode and the Y electrode during a touch operation of the electrostatic capacity touch panel, and during a no touch operation of the electrostatic capacity touch panel, corresponds to a difference between a serially connected capacity of;

a capacity between the Z electrode and the X electrode, and a capacity between the Z electrode and the Y electrode.

2. A display device according to claim 1, wherein the second insulating layer changes in thickness by pressing force of touch.

3. A display device according to claim 2, wherein the second insulating layer is formed of an elastic insulating material.

4. A display device according to a claim 1, wherein:

the pad part of the each of the plurality of X electrodes extends to a vicinity of a thin line part of an X electrode adjacent to the each of the plurality of X electrodes;

in plan view, in a shape of the pad part of the each of the plurality of X electrodes, an area is larger toward the thin line part of the X electrode and an area is smaller toward the thin line part of the adjacent X electrode.

5. A display device according to claim 4, wherein:

in plan view, a width of the pad part of the each of the plurality of Y electrodes in the extending direction is constant with respect to the extending direction of the plurality of Y electrodes; and

in plan view, the pad part of the each of the plurality of X electrodes and the pad part of the each of the plurality of Y electrodes are alternately disposed in the extending direction of the plurality of X electrodes.

6. A display device according to claim 5, wherein, in pad parts of two adjacent X electrodes, a shape of one pad part is convex, and a shape of another pad part is concave.

7. A display device according to claim 5, wherein, in pad parts of two adjacent X electrodes, shapes of both the pad parts are convex.

8. A display device according to claim 5, wherein the each of the plurality of Z electrodes is divided by a plurality of slits in the extending direction of the plurality of X electrodes, and by a plurality of slits in the extending direction of the plurality of Y electrodes.

9. A display device according to claim 8, wherein, in plan view, one slit of the each of the plurality of Z electrodes in the extending direction of the plurality of Y electrodes is disposed on the each of the plurality of Y electrodes and on the each of the plurality of X electrodes.

10. A display device according to claim 8, wherein, in plan view, one slit of the each of the plurality of Z electrodes in the extending direction of the plurality of Y electrodes is disposed on the each of the plurality of Y electrodes.

11. A display device according to claim 8, wherein, in plan view, one slit of the each of the plurality of Z electrodes in the extending direction of the plurality of Y electrodes is disposed on the each of the plurality of X electrodes.

12. A display device having an electrostatic capacity touch panel, wherein the electrostatic capacity touch panel comprises:

a plurality of first electrodes extending in a first direction;

a plurality of second electrodes extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction;

a first insulating layer formed on the plurality of first electrodes and a second insulating layer formed on the plurality of second electrodes; and

a plurality of third electrodes formed on the first and second insulating layers;

wherein the plurality of first electrodes lie in a first plane, the plurality of second electrodes lie in a second plane, and the plurality of third electrodes lie in a third plane, the first, second and third planes being different from one another; and

wherein a difference between a combined capacity between the first electrode and the second electrode during a touch operation and during a no touch operation corresponds to a difference between a serially connected capacity of;

a capacity between the third electrode and the first electrode, and a capacity between the third electrode and the second electrode.

13. A display device according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of third electrodes are in electrically floating states with respect to each other, and formed so as to overlap each of the plurality of first electrodes and each of the plurality of second electrodes in plan view.