Touch screen, touch panel, display device and electronic device

• US 9,603,239 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trivale Technologies, LLC (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Nishioka, Takahiro, Nakagawa, Naoki, Agari, Masafumi, Ono, Takeshi, Mori, Seiichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): EURICE, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US14/378,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20150002464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• 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 3/0445 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0274 Optical details, e.g. printed circuits comprising integral optical means H05K1/0269 takes precedence; coupling light guides with opto-electronic components G02B6/42
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0298 Multilayer circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/09 Use of materials for the conductive, e.g. metallic pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0302 Properties and characteristics in general
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor

Abstract

Detection column wires and detection row wires are configured of thin wires made of a conductive material having light reflectivity, such as a metal or alloy including silver and aluminum. A predetermined plural number of detection column wires are electrically connected to form a plurality of column-direction bundle wires. A predetermined plural number of detection row wires are electrically connected to form a plurality of row-direction bundle wires. A reflected-light distribution pattern is further provided. When viewed in a direction vertical to the surface of the touch screen, the reflected-light distribution pattern includes a curved portion, and the normal lines of the curved portion head for all directions.

Claims

1. A touch screen comprising:

a plurality of column wires extending in a predetermined column direction, the column wires being arranged at intervals in a row direction crossing said column direction;

a plurality of row wires extending in said row direction, the row wires being arranged at intervals in said column direction; and

a transparent base made of a translucent material, the transparent base being provided with said column wires and said row wires which are electrically separated from each other and crossing each other in a three-dimensional way, wherein

said column wires and said row wires are made of a conductive material having light reflectivity,

a predetermined plural number of said column wires are electrically connected to form a plurality of column-direction bundle wires,

a predetermined plural number of said row wires are electrically connected to form a plurality of row-direction bundle wires,

said transparent base is provided with a reflected-light distribution pattern made of a light reflective material,

said reflected-light distribution pattern includes a curved portion shaped in a curved manner when viewed in a direction vertical to a surface of said transparent base facing a user, and is disposed such that normal lines of said curved portion head for all directions, and

said curved portion of said reflected-light distribution pattern includes at least one of said row-direction bundle wires and said column-direction bundle wires such that said curved portion of said reflected-light distribution pattern and said at least one of said row-direction bundle wires and said column-direction bundle wires are formed in a single layer.

2. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein

said reflected-light distribution pattern is configured of a composite curve formed of a plurality of said curved portions having different curvature radii, and normal lines of each of said curved portions head for all directions.

3. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein

said reflected-light distribution pattern is included in at least either of said column wires and said row wires.

4. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein

said reflected-light distribution pattern is insulated from at least either of said column wires and said row wires.

5. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein

said transparent base is provided with a plurality of said reflected-light distribution patterns, and

said plurality of reflected-light distribution patterns are disposed so as not to form a parallel section between said reflected-light distribution patterns adjacent to each other.

6. The touch screen according to claim 1, comprising:

a first region that does not include said row wires and includes said column wires and a second region that does not include said column wires and includes said row wires, when viewed in the direction vertical to the surface of said transparent base facing the user.

7. The touch screen according to claim 1, wherein

in said reflected-light distribution pattern, a thin wire including said curved portion is closed.

8. The touch screen according to claim 7, wherein

said reflected-light distribution pattern is formed of a closed thin wire, and has a depression when viewed in the direction vertical to the surface of said transparent base facing the user.

9. A touch panel comprising:

the touch screen according to claim 1; and

a touch position detection circuit for detecting a position on said touch screen, the position being indicated by an indicator on the basis of a capacitance formed between said indicator, and said column wires and said row wires of said touch screen,

wherein said touch position detection circuit and said touch screen are different elements.

10. A display device comprising:

the touch panel according to claim 9; and

a display element,

wherein said touch panel is disposed closer to the user than said display element.

11. An electronic device comprising:

the touch panel according to claim 9; and

an electronic element for processing an output of said touch position detection circuit of said touch panel as an input signal.