Touch panel

• US 9,658,706 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ahn, Ji Sung
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hegarty, Kelly
• Application Number:
  US14/087,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20140146245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 345175, 345174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• 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

A touch panel according to the embodiment includes a cover window including an active area and an unactive area; a print layer on the unactive area; a sensing part on the unactive area to emit light toward the print layer; and a first light receiving part on the print layer to receive the light, wherein the print layer includes a first print layer on the cover window; a second print layer formed on the first print layer while forming a step difference with respect to the first print layer; and a third print layer formed on the second print layer while filling the step difference.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a cover window including an active area and an inactive area;

a print layer on the inactive area;

a sensing part on the inactive area to emit light toward the print layer; and

a first light receiving part on the print layer to receive the light,

wherein the print layer comprises;

a first print layer on the cover window;

a second print layer formed on the first print layer while forming a step difference with respect to the first print layer; and

a third print layer filling the step difference,

wherein the third print layer is disposed on the first and second print layers,

wherein the third print layer makes direct physical contact with the first and second print layers,

wherein the first print layer and the second print layer are white-color print layers,

wherein the third print layer is a black-color print layer,

wherein the sensing part comprises;

a light emitting part to emit the light to the first light receiving part; and

a second light receiving part onto which light reflected by the first light receiving part is incident;

wherein the first light receiving part and the print layer reflect the light emitted from the light emitting part,

wherein the third print layer is disposed to make contact with a top surface and a side surface of the second print layer and a top surface of the first print layer,

wherein the light emitting part only emits the light to the first light receiving part and the third print layer, and

wherein a thickness of the first light receiving part is the same as a sum of thicknesses of the first print layer, the second print layer, and the third print layer.

2. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the first print layer has a width different from a width of the second print layer.

3. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the width of the first print layer is larger than the width of the second print layer.

4. The touch panel of claim 2, wherein the width of the first print layer is smaller than the width of the second print layer, and

wherein the second print layer makes contact with top and side surfaces of the first print layer.

5. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the first light receiving part comprises infrared ink.

6. The touch panel of claim 5, wherein the light emitting part emits infrared light.

7. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising:

a first sensing electrode on the active area of the cover window, the first sensing electrode extending in one direction; and

a second sensing electrode on the active area of the cover window, the second sensing electrode extending in another direction.

8. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate on the cover window;

a first sensing electrode on the cover window, the first sensing electrode extending in one direction; and

a second sensing electrode on the substrate, the second sensing electrode extending in another direction.

9. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising:

a first substrate on the cover window;

a second substrate on the first substrate;

a first sensing electrode on the first substrate, the first sensing electrode extending in one direction; and

a second sensing electrode on the second substrate, the second sensing electrode extending in another direction.