Touch panel

• US 9,348,360 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Han, Jae Heung
• Primary Examiner(s): DANIELSEN, NATHAN ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US13/477,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20120299638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345204-206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• 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 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: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9602 characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96023 Details of electro-mechanic connections between different elements, e.g.: sensing plate and integrated circuit containing electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96031 Combination of touch switch and LC display
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

Disclosed is a touch window according to the present invention in which a FPCB, an IC, a function key area for a connection with a touch sensing sensor electrode are all formed in a single printed circuit board and are formed not to be exposed to the outside by receiving the printed circuit board in a lower part of a transparent window, thereby being capable of simplifying a structure of the touch window.

Claims

1. A touch panel, comprising:

a transparent window;

a touch sensor module on the transparent window and including a sensing electrode pattern, a first wiring part connected to the sensing electrode pattern, and a second wiring part connected to the sensing electrode pattern; and

a printed circuit board including a touch IC for receiving a touch signal of the sensing electrode pattern, and a function key signal processing circuit, wherein the printed circuit board is electrically connected to the touch sensor module and is disposed in a function key area of the transparent window,

wherein the printed circuit board is disposed to be completely covered by the transparent window,

wherein the entire printed circuit board has a shape of a flat plate,

wherein an entire first surface of the flat plate of the printed circuit board faces the transparent window and an entire second surface of the flat plate of the printed circuit board is disposed opposite to the first surface, and

wherein the first and second wiring parts are connected to first and second ends, respectively, of a same row of the sensing electrode pattern.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising a connection pad or a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) connecting the wiring part and the printed circuit board.

3. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the touch sensor module has a base substrate bonded onto one surface of the transparent window via an adhesive material layer, and a sensing electrode pattern having a first sensing electrode pattern on one surface of the base substrate and a second sensing electrode pattern on the other surface opposed to the one surface.

4. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the touch sensor module includes a first base member bonded to the transparent window via a first adhesive material layer, and having a sensing electrode pattern on one surface;

and a second base member bonded to another surface of the first base member via a second adhesive material layer and having a sensing electrode pattern on one surface.

5. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the touch sensor module is implemented by a sensing electrode pattern including first and second sensing electrode patterns which are directly formed on the transparent window and are insulated from each other.

6. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the touch sensor module comprises:

a base substrate bonded onto one surface of the transparent window via an adhesive material layer; and

first and second sensing electrode patterns which are directly formed on one surface of the base substrate and are insulated from each other.

7. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the sensing electrode pattern is formed of one selected from indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), carbon nanotubes (CNT), Ag nanowires, conductive polymers, or a graphene on a base member, and

wherein the sensing electrode pattern comprises a first sensing electrode pattern and a second sensing electrode pattern.

8. The touch panel of claim 7, wherein a sensing electrode of the first and second sensing electrode patterns and the wiring part are formed of the same material as each other.

9. The touch panel of claim 7, wherein the first sensing electrode pattern or the second sensing electrode pattern is configured such that each unit sensing electrode is formed in a mesh structure, the mesh structure including an external line pattern for forming an exterior angle part of the unit pattern and an internal line pattern for connecting the inside of the external line pattern in a cross structure.

10. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board further includes a circuit for receiving and treating signal input of function keys.

11. The touch panel of claim 10, wherein the function keys are formed on the printed circuit board.

12. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board comprises:

a touch IC, for receiving a touch signal of the sensing electrode pattern, on a first surface thereof; and

a connection pad or a flexible printed circuit board on a second surface thereof,

wherein the first surface is opposite to the second surface.

13. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is in direct physical contact with the touch screen module.

14. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board further includes a touch IC for receiving a touch signal of the sensing electrode pattern.

15. A touch panel, comprising:

a transparent window;

a touch sensor module on the transparent window and including a sensing electrode pattern, a first wiring part connected to the sensing electrode pattern, and a second wiring part connected to the sensing electrode pattern;

a printed circuit board including a touch IC for receiving a touch signal of the sensing electrode pattern, and a function key signal processing circuit, wherein the printed circuit board is electrically connected to the touch sensor module and is disposed in a function key area of the transparent window; and

a connection pad or a flexible printed circuit (FPCB) board connecting the wiring part and the printed circuit board,

wherein the printed circuit board and the touch IC are disposed to be completely covered by the transparent window,

wherein the sensing electrode pattern is formed of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnO), carbon nanotubes (CNT), Ag nanowires, conductive polymers, or a graphene on a base member,

wherein the sensing electrode pattern comprises a first sensing electrode pattern and a second sensing electrode pattern,

wherein the first sensing electrode pattern and the second sensing electrode pattern are disposed to partially overlap each other and one of the first sensing electrode pattern and the second sensing electrode pattern has a curvature pattern with periodicity, and

wherein the first and second wiring parts are connected to first and second ends, respectively, of a same row of the sensing electrode pattern.

16. The touch panel of claim 15, wherein a top surface of the touch sensor module is even with a top surface of the printed circuit board such that the top surface of the touch sensor module lies in a same plane as the top surface of the printed circuit board.

17. A touch panel, comprising:

a transparent window;

a touch sensor module on the transparent window and including a sensing electrode pattern, a first wiring part connected to the sensing electrode pattern, and a second wiring part connected to the a sensing electrode pattern;

a printed circuit board including a touch IC for receiving a touch signal of the sensing electrode pattern, and a function key signal processing circuit, wherein the printed circuit board is electrically connected to the touch sensor module disposed in a function key area of the transparent window;

a connection pad or a flexible printed circuit board connecting the wiring part and the printed circuit board,

wherein the printed circuit board and the touch IC are disposed to be completely covered by the transparent window,

wherein the printed circuit board includes a first surface on which the touch IC is disposed and a second surface on which the connection pad or the flexible circuit board is disposed,

wherein the first surface of the printed circuit board is opposite to the second surface of the printed circuit board, and

wherein the first and second wiring parts are connected to first and second ends, respectively, of a same row of the sensing electrode pattern.

18. The touch panel of claim 17, wherein the printed circuit board is in direct physical contact with the touch screen module.

19. The touch panel of claim 17, wherein the printed circuit board further includes a circuit for receiving and treating signal input of function keys.

20. The touch panel of claim 19, wherein the function keys are formed on the printed circuit board.