Touch screen sensor

• US 10,078,408 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2016
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Frey, Matthew H., Robrecht, Michael J., Jambor, George F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yodichkas, Aneeta
• Application Number:
  US15/351,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20170060307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/02 Local etching
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/14 Aqueous compositions
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/2605 Measuring capacitance capacitive sensors G01D5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A touch screen sensor includes a visible light transparent substrate and an electrically conductive micropattern disposed on or in the visible light transparent substrate. The micropattern includes a first region micropattern within a touch sensing area and a second region micropattern. The first region micropattern has a first sheet resistance value in a first direction, is visible light transparent, and has at least 90% open area. The second region micropattern has a second sheet resistance value in the first direction. The first sheet resistance value is different from the second sheet resistance value.

Claims

1. A patterned substrate for use in a touch screen sensor, comprising:

a visible light transparent substrate comprising a first area for sensing touch and configured to overlay a viewable portion of an information display, and a second area outside the first area;

a first metal mesh disposed in the first area; and

a second metal mesh disposed in the second area for connection to an electronic device, the second mesh electrically connected to the first mesh, the first and second metal meshes being visible light transparent and comprising metal traces having approximately a same composition and thickness.

2. The patterned substrate of claim 1, wherein a sheet resistance of the first metal mesh is different than a sheet resistance of the second metal mesh.

3. The patterned substrate of claim 1, wherein the first metal mesh has at least 90% open area.

4. The patterned substrate of claim 1, wherein the first metal mesh has open area between 95 and 99.5%.

5. The patterned substrate of claim 1, wherein the visible light transparent substrate comprises a glass.

6. The patterned substrate of claim 1, wherein the visible light transparent substrate comprises a polymer.

7. The patterned substrate of claim 1, wherein the first metal mesh comprises randomly shaped cells.

8. The patterned substrate of claim 1, wherein the first metal mesh defines an elongated transparent conductive bar with a long axis.

9. The patterned substrate of claim 1, wherein the metal traces of the first and second metal meshes have widths between 0.5 and 25 micrometers.

10. The patterned substrate of claim 1, wherein the metal traces of the first metal mesh have widths between 0.5 and 3 micrometers.

11. A patterned substrate for use in a touch screen sensor, comprising:

a visible light transparent substrate comprising a first area for sensing touch and configured to overlay a viewable portion of an information display, and a second area outside the first area;

a first metal mesh disposed in the first area and having at least 90% open area; and

a non-transparent larger metal feature disposed in the second area for connection to an electronic device, the larger metal feature electrically connected to the first metal mesh, the first metal mesh and the larger metal feature comprising approximately a same composition and thickness.

12. The patterned substrate of claim 11, wherein the first metal mesh has open area between 95 and 99.5%.

13. The patterned substrate of claim 11, wherein a minimum width of the larger metal feature is at least 25 microns.

14. The patterned substrate of claim 11, wherein the larger metal feature comprises a contact pad.

15. The patterned substrate of claim 11, wherein the first metal mesh comprises randomly shaped cells.

16. The patterned substrate of claim 11, wherein the first metal mesh defines an elongated transparent conductive bar with a long axis.

17. The patterned substrate of claim 11, wherein the metal traces of the first metal mesh have widths between 0.5 and 25 micrometers.

18. The patterned substrate of claim 11, wherein the metal traces of the first metal mesh have widths between 0.5 and 3 micrometers.