Touch window and LCD using the same

• US 9,766,490 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2011
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Han, Jae Heung, Kim, Jang Whan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Sang V
• Application Number:
  US14/235,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20140168545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 349 12
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133331 Cover glasses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires

Abstract

Provided is a structure capable of improving a freedom of a design and manufacturing process efficiency of an icon area of a touch window. To this end, a touch window is configured to include a sensing unit that is disposed on a transparent window and senses a contact through sensing electrode patterns, wiring parts electrically connected with the sensing electrode patterns, and a metal pattern part for a function connected with ends of the wiring parts. As set forth above, in forming the icon area of the touch window, the exemplary embodiment of the present can improve the freedom of a design while improving the manufacturing process efficiency by patterning the metal pattern part that is the signal input unit of functions formed on the surface of the transparent window at the time of implementing the sensing electrode pattern, in forming the icon area of the touch window.

Claims

1. A touch window, comprising:

a transparent window;

a sensing unit disposed on the transparent window and sensing a contact through sensing electrode patterns;

wiring patterns electrically connected to the sensing electrode patterns;

a metal pattern part connected with ends of the wiring patterns;

a printed pattern disposed on the transparent window; and

an icon disposed between the transparent window and the metal pattern part;

wherein the metal pattern part includes a light transmitting pattern that controls light transmittance;

wherein the sensing unit, the wiring patterns, and the metal pattern part each is made of at least one selected from a group consisting of Ag, Al, and Cu;

wherein the metal pattern part includes or is coated with any one reflective material of TiO₂, CaCO₃, BaSO₄ and Polystyrene (PS);

wherein the light transmitting pattern comprises a hole transmitting light,

wherein the metal pattern part comprises metal particles reflecting light, and

wherein the icon having an opened structure on a function area of the printed pattern is disposed to correspond to two different layers of the metal pattern part.

2. The touch window of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit includes a first sensing electrode pattern and a second sensing electrode pattern that are patterned on a transparent substrate coupled with the transparent window via adhesive material layers.

3. The touch window of claim 2, wherein the metal pattern part is disposed on the same plane as the first sensing electrode pattern or the second sensing electrode pattern.

4. The touch window of claim 3, wherein the sensing unit has a structure in which the first sensing electrode pattern and the second sensing electrode pattern are patterned on one surface of the same transparent substrate so as to be insulated from each other.

5. The touch window of claim 3, wherein the sensing unit has a structure in which the first sensing electrode pattern and the second sensing electrode pattern are each patterned on one surface and the other surface of the same transparent substrate.

6. The touch window of claim 3, wherein the sensing unit has a structure in which the first sensing electrode pattern and the second sensing electrode pattern are each patterned on surfaces of different transparent substrates.

7. The touch window of claim 2, wherein the sensing unit includes:

a first sensing electrode pattern that is patterned on one surface of the transparent window; and

a second sensing electrode pattern that is patterned on the transparent substrate coupled with the transparent window via the adhesive material layers.

8. The touch window of claim 7, wherein the metal pattern part is formed on the transparent window.

9. The touch window of claim 1, wherein the sensing unit includes the first sensing electrode pattern and the second sensing electrode pattern that are directly patterned on one surface of the transparent window in a structure in which the first sensing electrode pattern and the second sensing electrode pattern are insulated from each other.

10. The touch window of claim 9, wherein the metal pattern part is disposed on the transparent window.

11. The touch window of claim 2, wherein the transparent substrate is a film material or a glass material.

12. The touch window of claim 11, wherein the film material is made of any one of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), polyether sulfone (PES), polyimide (PI), polymethyl methaacrylate (PMMA).

13. The touch window of claim 1, wherein the sensing electrode patterns comprise first and second sensing electrode patterns, and wherein the first and second sensing electrode patterns, the wiring patterns, and the metal pattern part are made of the same material.

14. A liquid crystal display, comprising:

a backlight unit emitting light;

a liquid crystal module including a color filter and a thin film transistor receiving light emitted from the backlight unit; and

the touch window of claim 1.