Display apparatus and information input apparatus

• US 8,228,309 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2010
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Japan Display West Incorporated (Japan Display Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tamaki, Masaya, Koito, Takeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhou, Hong
• Application Number:
  US12/657,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-174, 349/155, 349/12, 349/23, 349/156
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134363 for applying an electric field parallel to the substrate, i.e. in-plane switching [IPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/136286 Wiring, e.g. gate line, drain line
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/09 transflective
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0439 Pixel structures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0251 Precharge or discharge of pixel before applying new pixel voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0262 The addressing of the pixel, in a display other than an active matrix LCD, involving the control of two or more scan electrodes or two or more data electrodes, e.g. pixel voltage dependent on signals of two data electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3648 using an active matrix G09G3/367 - G09G3/3696 take precedence

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate opposed to the first substrate, and a touch sensor switch disposed in a display area that displays an image. The touch sensor switch includes a first touch electrode provided on a surface of the first substrate and a second touch electrode provided on a surface of the second substrate. The touch sensor switch has a structure in which the first and second touch electrodes are brought into contact when the display panel is deformed by an external pressure. The first substrate includes a convex portion that protrudes in a convex shape toward the second substrate. The convex portion has a top surface opposed to the second substrate and includes a flat area formed on the top surface. The first touch electrode is formed in the flat area on the convex portion as an isolated pattern.

Claims

1. A display apparatus, comprising:

a display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a touch sensor switch incorporated therein, the second substrate being opposed to the first substrate at an interval, the touch sensor switch being disposed in a display area that displays an image,

wherein the touch sensor switch includes

a first touch electrode provided on a surface of the first substrate, the surface being opposed to the second substrate, and

a second touch electrode provided on a surface of the second substrate, the surface being opposed to the first substrate, the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode having an interval therebetween,

wherein the touch sensor switch has a structure in which the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode are brought into contact with each other when the display panel is deformed by an external pressure,

wherein the first substrate includes a convex portion that protrudes in a convex shape toward the second substrate, the convex portion being formed on the surface opposed to the second substrate,

wherein the convex portion has a top surface opposed to the second substrate and includes a flat area formed on the top surface along the surface of the second substrate,

wherein the first touch electrode is formed in the flat area on the convex portion as an isolated pattern,

wherein the convex portion is formed in a forward tapered shape, and

wherein the flat area is arranged to be inward of a tapered area of the convex portion and to have a length less than that of the top surface such that a first distance is equal to or larger than a second distance, in which the first distance is equal to a length between an end portion of the flat area and an inflection point whereat the top surface of the convex portion is curved to a side surface thereof that is inclined and in which the second distance is equal to a length between the inflection point and an end portion of the side surface.

2. The display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the second touch electrode includes a plurality of second touch electrodes, and

wherein the touch sensor switch is formed so that when the display panel is deformed by the external pressure, the first touch electrode is brought into contact with the two or more second touch electrodes to electrically connect the two or more second touch electrodes with each other.

3. The display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a tapered angle of the convex portion is set to 70 degrees or less.

4. The display apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the convex portion is formed so that a Young'"'"'s modulus is set to 1 to 5 GPa, and a Poisson'"'"'s ratio is set to 0.36 to 0.40.

5. The display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first substrate includes a suspended column portion that is protruded in a convex shape toward the second substrate, the suspended column portion being formed on the surface opposed to the second substrate.

6. The display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display panel is a liquid crystal panel including a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate.

7. An information input apparatus, comprising:

a touch panel including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a touch sensor switch formed therein, the second substrate being opposed to the first substrate at an interval,

wherein the touch sensor switch includes

a first touch electrode provided on a surface of the first substrate, the surface being opposed to the second substrate, and

a second touch electrode provided on a surface of the second substrate, the surface being opposed to the first substrate, the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode having an interval therebetween,

wherein the touch sensor switch has a structure in which the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode are brought into contact with each other when the touch panel is deformed by an external pressure,

wherein the first substrate includes a convex portion that protrudes in a convex shape toward the second substrate, the convex portion being formed on the surface opposed to the second substrate,

wherein the convex portion has a top surface opposed to the second substrate and includes a flat area formed on the top surface along the surface of the second substrate,

wherein the first touch electrode is formed in the flat area on the convex portion as an isolated pattern,

wherein the convex portion is formed in a forward tapered shape, and

wherein the flat area is arranged to be inward of a tapered area of the convex portion and to have a length less than that of the top surface such that a first distance is equal to or larger than a second distance, in which the first distance is equal to a length between an end portion of the flat area and an inflection point whereat the top surface of the convex portion is curved to a side surface thereof that is inclined and in which the second distance is equal to a length between the inflection point and an end portion of the side surface.