Touch panel and display device using the same

• US 20090160797A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Tsinghua University
• Inventors: Jiang, Kai-Li, Fan, Shou-Shan, Liu, Liang
• Granted Patent: US 8,111,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/0447 Position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

An exemplary touch panel includes a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate separated from the first electrode plate. The first electrode plate includes a first substrate and a first conductive layer disposed on a lower surface of the first substrate. The second electrode plate includes a second substrate and a second conductive layer disposed on an upper surface of the second substrate. Each of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer includes a plurality of spaced carbon nanotube structures. A display device incorporates the touch panel and also includes a display element adjacent to the touch panel.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a first electrode plate comprising a first substrate and a first conductive layer disposed on a lower surface of the first substrate; and

a second electrode plate separated from the first electrode plate and comprising a second substrate and a second conductive layer disposed on an upper surface of the second substrate;

at least one of the first and second conductive layers comprising a plurality of spaced carbon nanotube structures.

2. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube structures are parallel to each other.

3. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the carbon nanotube structures comprises at least one carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes arranged along a same direction.

4. The touch panel as claimed in claim 3, wherein each carbon nanotube structure comprises at least two carbon nanotube films stacked one on the other, and adjacent carbon nanotube films are combined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.

5. The touch panel as claimed in claim 4, wherein each carbon nanotube film comprises a plurality of successively oriented carbon nanotube segments joined end to end by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.

6. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of the carbon nanotube structures is in an approximate range from 0.5 nanometers to 100 micrometers.

7. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a width of each carbon nanotube structure is in an approximate range from 100 micrometers to 10 centimeters.

8. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a distance between adjacent carbon nanotube structures is in an approximate range from 5 nanometers to 1 millimeter.

9. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotube structure are selected from the group consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes, double-walled carbon nanotubes, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, diameters of the single-walled carbon nanotubes are in an approximate range from 0.5 nanometers to 50 nanometers, diameters of the double-walled carbon nanotubes are in an approximate range from 1 nanometer to 50 nanometers, and diameters of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes are in an approximate range from 1.5 nanometers to 50 nanometers.

10. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer both comprise a plurality of spaced carbon nanotube structures parallel to each other, and a first alignment direction of each of the carbon nanotube structures in the first conductive layer crosses a second alignment direction of each of the carbon nanotube structures in the second conductive layer.

11. The touch panel as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first electrode plate further comprises two first-electrodes, the second alignment direction is perpendicular to first alignment direction, and each of the two first-electrodes is oriented along the second alignment direction and electrically connected to the first conductive layer.

12. The touch panel as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second electrode plate further comprises two second-electrodes, and each of the two second-electrodes is oriented along the first alignment direction and electrically connected to the second conductive layer.

13. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an insulative layer disposed between the second electrode plate and the first electrode plate.

14. The touch panel as claimed in claim 13, wherein a plurality of dot spacers are disposed between the first conductive layer of the first electrode plate and the second conductive layer of the second electrode plate.

15. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a shielding layer disposed on a lower surface of the second substrate of the second electrode plate, material of the shielding layer being selected from the group consisting of indium tin oxides, antimony tin oxides, and carbon nanotube films.

16. A display device comprising:

a touch panel comprising a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate;

the first electrode plate comprising a first substrate and a first conductive layer disposed on a lower surface of the first substrate;

the second electrode plate separated from the first electrode plate and comprising a second substrate and a second conductive layer disposed on an upper surface of the second substrate, and at least one of the first and second conductive layers comprising a plurality of spaced carbon nanotube structures; and

a display element opposite and adjacent to the touch panel.

17. The display device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a first controller, a central processing unit, and a second controller;

the display element is connected to the first controller, and the central processing unit is connected to the second controller.

18. The display device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the touch panel is spaced from the display element with a distance.

19. The display device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the touch panel is located on the display element.

20. The display device as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a passivation layer located on a surface of the touch panel, and the material of the passivation layer being selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride and silicon dioxide.