Touch panel and method of manufacturing the same

• US 7,633,565 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Kenichi, Murakami, Tetsuo, Fukui, Toshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chien; Lucy P
• Application Number:
  US10/855,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20040257344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 349/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

An upper substrate that has upper conductive layer formed on a bottom surface thereof, is bonded to lower substrate, that has lower conductive layer opposed to the upper conductive layer with a predetermined space held therebetween, on a top surface of lower substrate by an adhesive layer that is made of a thermoplastic resin containing a tackifier dispersed therein, with a bonding property of the adhesive layer being enhanced by pressing. Addition of the tackifier increases flexibility of the adhesive layer and performs bonding with a large adhesive area at pressing. Thus, a width of the adhesive layer can be as small as approximately 1 to 1.5 mm. This can provide a smaller touch panel ensuring a predetermined touch sensitive area.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

an upper substrate having an upper conductive layer on a bottom surface thereof;

a lower substrate having a lower conductive layer thereon, said lower conductive layer being opposed to said upper conductive layer with a predetermined space therebetween; and

an adhesive layer bonding said upper substrate and said lower substrate to one another, said adhesive layer including an adhesive material having a thermoplastic resin and a tackifier,

wherein said adhesive layer has an elastic modulus ranging from 10³ Pa to 10⁸ Pa, and

wherein said tackifier comprises a thermoplastic oligomer, and said adhesive material contains 1 gram to 35 grams of said tackifier in 100 grams of said thermoplastic resin.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein

said thermoplastic resin contains at least one of acrylic resin and polyester resin.

3. The touch panel according to claim 2, wherein

said adhesive material includes 1 gram to 20 grams of an isocyanate-containing curing agent dispersed in 100 grams of said thermoplastic resin.

4. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein

said adhesive layer is 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm wide.

5. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein

said adhesive layer is 5 μ

m to 50 μ

m thick.

6. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein

said thermoplastic resin comprises at least one of acrylic resin and polyester resin.

7. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein

said adhesive material contains 1 gram to 20 grams of an isocyanate-containing curing agent dispersed in 100 grams of said thermoplastic resin.

8. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein

said adhesive layer is 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm wide, and 5 μ

m to 50 μ

m thick; and

said thermoplastic resin contains at least one of acrylic resin and polyester resin.

9. A method of manufacturing a touch panel comprising:

printing an adhesive layer onto at least one of an upper substrate and a lower substrate, said upper substrate having an upper conductive layer on a bottom surface thereof and said lower substrate having a lower conductive layer thereon, and said adhesive layer including an adhesive material having a thermoplastic resin and a tackifier, with a bonding property of said adhesive material being enhanced by pressing;

opposing said upper substrate with said lower substrate such that said lower conductive layer is opposed to said upper conductive layer with a predetermined space therebetween; and

bonding said upper substrate and said lower substrate to one another by pressing said adhesive layer,

wherein said adhesive layer has an elastic modulus ranging from 10³ Pa to 10⁸ Pa, and

wherein said tackifier comprises a thermoplastic oligomer, and said adhesive material contains 1 gram to 35 grams of said tackifier in 100 grams of said thermoplastic resin.

10. The method of manufacturing a touch panel according to claim 9, wherein

said thermoplastic resin contains at least one of acrylic resin and polyester resin.

11. The method of manufacturing a touch panel according to claim 10, wherein

said adhesive material includes 1 gram to 20 grams of an isocyanate-containing curing agent dispersed in 100 grams of said thermoplastic resin.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein

said adhesive layer is 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm wide.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein

said adhesive layer is 5 μ

m to 50 μ

m thick.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein

said thermoplastic resin comprises at least one of acrylic resin and polyester resin.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein

said adhesive material contains 1 gram to 20 grams of an isocyanate-containing curing agent dispersed in 100 grams of said thermoplastic resin.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein

said adhesive layer is 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm wide, and 5 μ

m to 50 μ

m thick; and

said thermoplastic resin contains at least one of acrylic resin and polyester resin.