Touch substrate and preparation method therefor, and display panel

• US 10,705,662 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2018
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., Hefei Xinsheng Optoelectric Technology Co. Ltd. (BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hefei Xinsheng Optoelectronics Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Zhang, Guiyu, Hu, Xiaojuan, Wang, Jing, Xie, Xiaodong, Xu, Zouming, Zhang, Lei
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Jr., Duane N
• Application Number:
  US16/339,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20190243486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• 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

Abstract

A touch substrate, a manufacturing method thereof and a display panel are provided. The touch substrate includes: a base, including a touch region and a lead region positioned around the touch region; a plurality of first electrode strips, arranged side by side on the base in the touch region, each of the plurality of first electrode strips including a plurality of first sub-electrodes arranged at intervals; and a plurality of conductive bridges, arranged on the base in the touch region, two adjacent first sub-electrodes in each of the plurality of first electrode strips being electrically connected by one of the plurality of conductive bridges, wherein each of the plurality of conductive bridges includes a main body portion and a branch portion which are directly connected with each other, and at least two branch portions are arranged at least one end of the main body portion.

Claims

1. A touch substrate, comprising:

a base, including a touch region and a lead region positioned around the touch region;

a plurality of first electrode strips, arranged side by side on the base in the touch region, the first electrode strip including a plurality of first sub-electrodes arranged at intervals; and

a plurality of conductive bridges, arranged on the base in the touch region, two adjacent first sub-electrodes in the first electrode strip being electrically connected by one of the plurality of conductive bridges,

wherein the conductive bridge includes a main body portion and a branch portion which are directly connected with each other, and at least two branch portions are arranged at least one end of the main body portion.

2. The touch substrate according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of second electrode strips, arranged side by side on the base in the touch region, the plurality of second electrode strips and the plurality of first electrode strips being arranged in an identical layer, an extension line where the first electrode strip is positioned intersecting with an extension line where the second electrode strip is positioned, and the second electrode strip including a plurality of second sub-electrodes arranged at intervals and a connecting portion for connecting the adjacent second sub-electrodes,

wherein in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the base is positioned, the connecting portion is overlapped with at least one portion of the main body portion of the conductive bridge.

3. The touch substrate according to claim 2, wherein

at least one portion of the main body portion and the branch portion of each of the plurality of conductive bridges are arranged in different layers, and in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the base is positioned, the branch portion directly contacts with the first sub-electrode a portion of which is overlapped with the branch portion, so that the branch portion is connected with the first sub-electrode.

4. The touch substrate according to claim 3, wherein

the branch portion is entirely in contact with the first sub-electrode corresponding to the branch portion.

5. The touch substrate according to claim 2, further comprising:

an insulating layer, arranged between the connecting portions of the plurality of second electrode strips and the plurality of conductive bridges,

wherein the insulating layer includes a plurality of sub insulating layers spaced from each other, the sub insulating layers are arranged to correspond to the conductive bridges in a one-to-one correspondence, and

at least one portion of an orthogonal projection of the main body portion on the base is positioned within an orthogonal projection of the sub insulating layer on the base, and an orthogonal projection of the branch portion on the base is positioned outside the orthogonal projection of the sub insulating layer on the base.

6. The touch substrate according to claim 5, wherein

an edge contacting with the conductive bridge of a surface of the sub insulating layer, which is parallel to the plane where the base is positioned and is away from the connecting portion, is of an arc shape.

7. The touch substrate according to claim 2, wherein

the main body portion and the branch portion of each of the plurality of conductive bridges are arranged in an identical layer.

8. The touch substrate according to claim 7, further comprising:

an insulating layer, arranged between the connecting portions of the plurality of second electrode strips and the plurality of conductive bridges, a via hole being disposed in the insulating layer,

wherein the first sub-electrode is electrically connected with the conductive bridge through the via hole.

9. The touch substrate according to claim 1, wherein

in a plane parallel to a plane where the base is positioned, an edge of the branch portion is of an arc shape.

10. The touch substrate according to claim 1, wherein

at an identical end of the main body portion, an included angle between two adjacent branch portions is 30 degrees to 60 degrees.

11. The touch substrate according to claim 1, wherein

at an identical end of the main body portion, at least two branch portions are arranged axially symmetrically with respect to an extension line of the main body portion.

12. The touch substrate according to claim 1, wherein

the main body portion includes at least two conductive strips arranged side by side at intervals, and at least one branch portion is arranged at one end of each of the at least two conductive strips.

13. The touch substrate according to claim 1, wherein

the conductive bridge is arranged on a side of the first electrode strip, which is close to the base;

or

the conductive bridge is arranged on a side of the first electrode strip, which is away from the base.

14. A display panel, comprising the touch substrate according to claim 1.

15. A manufacturing method of a touch substrate, comprising:

providing a base, the base including a touch region and a lead region positioned around the touch region;

forming a plurality of first electrode strips arranged side by side on the base in the touch region; and

forming a plurality of conductive bridges on the base in the touch region,

wherein the first electrode strip includes a plurality of first sub-electrodes arranged at intervals, two adjacent first sub-electrodes in the first electrode strip are electrically connected by one of the plurality of conductive bridges, the conductive bridge includes a main body portion and a branch portion which are directly connected with each other, and at least two branch portions are arranged at at least one end of the main body portion.

16. The manufacturing method according to claim 15, further comprising:

forming a plurality of second electrode strips arranged side by side on the base in the touch region,

wherein the second electrode strips and the first electrode strips are arranged in an identical layer and are intersected with each other, the second electrode strip includes a plurality of second sub-electrodes arranged at intervals and a connecting portion for connecting the adjacent second sub-electrodes, and in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the base is positioned, the connecting portion is partially overlapped with the main body portion.

17. The manufacturing method according to claim 16, wherein at least one portion of the main body portion and the branch portion of each of the plurality of conductive bridges are arranged in different layers, and the forming the plurality of conductive bridges on the base in the touch region includes:

depositing an insulating material film on the base and patterning the insulating material film to form an insulating layer including a plurality of sub insulating layers; and

depositing a conductive material film on the base on which the insulating layer is formed and patterning the conductive material film to form the plurality of conductive bridges, the sub insulating layers and the plurality of conductive bridges being arranged in a one-to-one correspondence,

wherein corrosion resistance of a preparation material of the conductive bridge is smaller than corrosion resistance of preparation materials of the second electrode strip and the first electrode strip, and in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the base is positioned, at least one portion of an orthogonal projection of the main body portion on the base is positioned within an orthogonal projection of the sub insulating layer on the base, and an orthogonal projection of the branch portion on the base is positioned outside the orthogonal projection of the sub insulating layer on the base.

18. The manufacturing method according to claim 16, wherein at least one portion of the main body portion and the branch portion of each of the plurality of conductive bridge are arranged in different layers, and the forming the plurality of conductive bridges on the base in the touch region includes:

depositing an insulating material film on the base and patterning the insulating material film to form an insulating layer including a plurality of sub insulating layers; and

providing a first mask, and depositing a conductive material on the base by using the first mask to form the plurality of conductive bridges, the sub insulating layers and the plurality of conductive bridges being arranged in a one-to-one correspondence,

wherein in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the base is positioned, at least one portion of an orthogonal projection of the main body portion on the base is positioned within an orthogonal projection of the sub insulating layer on the base, and an orthogonal projection of the branch portion on the base is positioned outside the orthogonal projection of the sub insulating layer on the base.

19. The manufacturing method according to claim 16, wherein the main body portion and the branch portion of each of the plurality of conductive bridge are arranged in an identical layer, and the forming the plurality of conductive bridges on the base in the touch region includes:

depositing an insulating material film on the base on which the plurality of first electrode strips are formed to form an insulating layer;

patterning the insulating layer to form a via hole in the insulating layer, the via hole exposing a portion of a region of the first sub-electrode; and

depositing a conductive material film on the insulating layer and patterning the conductive material film to form the plurality of conductive bridges, the branch portion of the conductive bridge being electrically connected with the first sub-electrode through the via hole.

20. The manufacturing method according to claim 16, wherein the main body portion and the branch portion of each of the plurality of conductive bridges are arranged in an identical layer, and the forming the plurality of conductive bridges on the base in the touch region includes:

depositing a conductive material film on the base and patterning the conductive material film to form the plurality of conductive bridges;

depositing an insulating material film on the base on which the plurality of conductive bridges are formed to form an insulating layer; and

patterning the insulating layer to form a via hole in the insulating layer, the via hole exposing a portion of a region of the conductive bridge,

wherein the forming the plurality of first electrode strips arranged side by side on the base in the touch region includes;

depositing the conductive material film on the insulating layer and patterning the conductive material film to form the plurality of first electrode strips, two adjacent first sub-electrodes being electrically connected with the conductive bridge through the via hole.