U.S. patent application number 14/857838 was filed with the patent office on 2016-12-29 for touch panel.
The applicant listed for this patent is CANDO CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Wan-Chun Hsu, Wen-Chen Lee, Chia-Ming Yeh.
Application Number | 20160378216 14/857838 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57602184 |
Filed Date | 2016-12-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160378216 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Wen-Chen ; et
al. |
December 29, 2016 |
TOUCH PANEL
Abstract
A touch panel including a substrate, plural first electrode
strings, plural second electrode strings, plural insulating
patterns, and plural first optical matching patterns is provided.
The substrate has plural bridge areas and a non-bridge area
connected to the bridge areas. The first electrode strings and the
second electrode strings are disposed on the substrate and
staggered in the bridge areas. The insulating patterns are located
in the bridge areas, and each of the insulating patterns is located
between one of the first electrode strings and a corresponding
second electrode string respectively. Each of the first optical
matching patterns is located in one of the bridge areas
respectively and located between a corresponding first electrode
string and a corresponding second electrode string. Each of the
insulating patterns is respectively disposed on a surface of one of
the first optical matching patterns facing away from the
substrate.
Inventors: |
Lee; Wen-Chen; (Hsinchu
County, TW) ; Yeh; Chia-Ming; (Taoyuan City, TW)
; Hsu; Wan-Chun; (Hsinchu County, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CANDO CORPORATION |
TAICHUNG CITY |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
57602184 |
Appl. No.: |
14/857838 |
Filed: |
September 18, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/173 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/0443 20190501;
H05K 3/4685 20130101; G06F 3/041 20130101; G06F 2203/04111
20130101; H05K 2201/2054 20130101; G06F 3/0446 20190501; G06F
2203/04112 20130101; G06F 3/04164 20190501; H05K 1/0274 20130101;
G06F 3/0416 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/041 20060101
G06F003/041; G06F 1/16 20060101 G06F001/16; H05K 1/02 20060101
H05K001/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 25, 2015 |
TW |
104120506 |
Jul 30, 2015 |
TW |
104124770 |
Claims
1. A touch panel, comprising: a substrate, having a plurality of
bridge areas and a non-bridge area connected to the bridge areas; a
plurality of first electrode strings and a plurality of second
electrode strings, disposed on the substrate and staggered in the
bridge areas; a plurality of insulating patterns, located in the
bridge areas, and each of the insulating patterns being located
between one of the first electrode strings and a corresponding
second electrode string respectively; and a plurality of first
optical matching patterns, wherein each of the first optical
matching patterns is located in one of the bridge areas
respectively and located between a corresponding first electrode
string and a corresponding second electrode string, and each of the
insulating patterns is respectively disposed on a surface of one of
the first optical matching patterns facing away from the
substrate.
2. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first
electrode strings comprises a plurality of first electrode pads and
a plurality of first connection lines, and each of the first
connection lines connects two adjacent first electrode pads in
series along a first direction, each of the second electrode
strings comprises a plurality of second electrode pads and a
plurality of second connection lines, and each of the second
connection lines connects two adjacent second electrode pads in
series along a second direction, each of the second connection
lines and the corresponding first connection line are staggered in
one of the bridge areas, and each of the insulating patterns and
the corresponding first optical matching patterns are respectively
located between one of the first connection lines and the
corresponding second connection line.
3. The touch panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second
connection lines, the first optical matching patterns, the
insulating patterns and the first connection lines are sequentially
stacked on the substrate, and the first electrode pads, the second
electrode pads and the first connection lines belong to a same
layer.
4. The touch panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein a width of each
of the first optical matching patterns along the second direction
is greater than a width of each of the first connection lines along
the second direction and is smaller than a length of each of the
second connection lines.
5. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a thickness of
each of the insulating patterns is greater than 1 .mu.m and smaller
than or equal to 5 .mu.m.
6. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein shapes of the
first optical matching patterns and the insulating patterns are the
same.
7. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a shape of each
of the first optical matching patterns is different to a shape of
each of the first electrode strings or each of the second electrode
strings.
8. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first
optical matching patterns is a single layer structure, a refractive
index of each of the first optical matching patterns ranges between
1.55 and 1.8, and a thickness of each of the first optical matching
patterns ranges between 10 .ANG. and 2000 .ANG..
9. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the first
optical matching patterns comprises at least one first sub layer
and at least one second sub layer, the at least one first sub layer
and the at least one second sub layer are stacked in alternation
between the substrate and the corresponding insulating pattern, a
refractive index of each of the first sub layers is lower than a
refractive index of each of the second sub layer, and a thickness
of each of the first sub layers and each of the second sub layers
respectively ranges between 10 .ANG. and 2000 .ANG..
10. The touch panel as claimed in claim 9, wherein the refractive
index of each of the first sub layers ranges between 1.4 and 1.8,
and the refractive index of each of the second sub layers ranges
between 1.8 and 3.
11. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a
second optical matching layer, disposed on the substrate and
located in the bridge areas and the non-bridge area, and the second
optical matching layer being located between the first electrode
strings and the substrate and between the second electrode strings
and the substrate.
12. The touch panel as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a
third optical matching layer, located in the bridge areas and the
non-bridge area and disposed on the first electrode strings and the
second electrode strings, wherein a thickness of the third optical
matching layer in each of the bridge areas is A, and a thickness of
the third optical matching layer in the non-bridge area is B, and
(B-A).ltoreq.0.1 B.
13. The touch panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein the third
optical matching layer is an organic material layer with a
refractive index ranging between 1.6 and 1.7.
14. The touch panel as claimed in claim 12, wherein a thickness of
the third optical matching layer at a boundary of the non-bridge
area and the bridge areas is C, and C is greater than A and B.
15. The touch panel as claimed in claim 14, wherein 2 .ltoreq. C B
.ltoreq. 5. ##EQU00003##
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority benefits of Taiwan
application serial no.
[0002] 104120506, filed on Jun. 25, 2015, and Taiwan application
serial no. 104124770, filed on Jul. 30, 2015. The entirety of each
of the above-mentioned patent applications is hereby incorporated
by reference herein and made a part of this specification.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Technical Field
[0004] The invention relates to a panel. Particularly, the
invention relates to a touch panel.
[0005] Related Art
[0006] Touch panel generally includes a substrate and a plurality
of electrode strings disposed on the substrate in stagger. A
material of the electrode strings is generally a transparent
conductive material with a good light transmittance, so as to
improve a light transmittance of the touch panel. Since a
reflectivity difference between an area where single layer
electrode strings are located and staggered positions of the
electrode strings is very large, when a user uses the touch panel,
it is easy for the user to see a bridge trace at the staggered
positions of the electrode strings, which influences a visual
effect of the touch panel. Although some amelioration has been made
according to the existing techniques, the amelioration cannot
effectively improve the visual effect of the touch panel.
SUMMARY
[0007] The invention is directed to a touch panel, which has good
visual effect.
[0008] The invention provides a touch panel including a substrate,
a plurality of first electrode strings, a plurality of second
electrode strings, a plurality of insulating patterns, and a
plurality of first optical matching patterns. The substrate has a
plurality of bridge areas and a non-bridge area connected to the
bridge areas. The first electrode strings and the second electrode
strings are disposed on the substrate and are staggered in the
bridge areas. The insulating patterns are located in the bridge
areas, and each of the insulating patterns is located between one
of the first electrode strings and a corresponding second electrode
string respectively. Each of the first optical matching patterns is
located in one of the bridge areas respectively and located between
a corresponding first electrode string and a corresponding second
electrode string. Each of the insulating patterns is respectively
disposed on a surface of one of the first optical matching patterns
facing away from the substrate.
[0009] In an exemplary embodiment o the invention, each of the
first electrode strings includes a plurality of first electrode
pads and a plurality of first connection lines. Each of the first
connection lines connects two adjacent first electrode pads in
series along a first direction. Each of the second electrode
strings includes a plurality of second electrode pads and a
plurality of second connection lines. Each of the second connection
lines connects two adjacent second electrode pads in series along a
second direction. Each of the second connection lines and the
corresponding first connection line are staggered in one of the
bridge areas. Each of the insulating patterns and the corresponding
first optical matching patterns are respectively located between
one of the first connection lines and the corresponding second
connection line.
[0010] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the second
connection lines, the first optical matching patterns, the
insulating patterns and the first connection lines are sequentially
stacked on the substrate, and the first electrode pads, the second
electrode pads and the first connection lines belong to a same
layer.
[0011] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a width of each
of the first optical matching patterns along the second direction
is greater than a width of each of the first connection lines along
the second direction and is smaller than a length of each of the
second connection lines.
[0012] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a thickness of
each of the insulating patterns is greater than 1 .mu.m and smaller
than or equal to 5 .mu.m.
[0013] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, shapes of the
first optical matching patterns and the insulating patterns are the
same.
[0014] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a shape of each
of the first optical matching patterns is different to a shape of
each of the first electrode strings or each of the second electrode
strings.
[0015] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, each of the
first optical matching patterns is a single layer structure. A
refractive index of each of the first optical matching patterns
ranges between 1.55 and 1.8, and a thickness of each of the first
optical matching patterns ranges between 10 .ANG. and 2000
.ANG..
[0016] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, each of the
first optical matching patterns includes at least one first sub
layer and at least one second sub layer. The at least one first sub
layer and the at least one second sub layer are stacked in
alternation between the substrate and the corresponding insulating
pattern. A refractive index of each of the first sub layers is
lower than a refractive index of each of the second sub layer, and
a thickness of each of the first sub layers and each of the second
sub layers respectively ranges between 10 .ANG. and 2000 .ANG..
[0017] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the refractive
index of each of the first sub layers ranges between 1.4 and 1.8,
and the refractive index of each of the second sub layers ranges
between 1.8 and 3.
[0018] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the touch panel
further includes a second optical matching layer. The second
optical matching layer is disposed on the substrate and located in
the bridge areas and the non-bridge area, and the second optical
matching layer is located between the first electrode strings and
the substrate and between the second electrode strings and the
substrate.
[0019] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the touch panel
further includes a third optical matching layer. The third optical
matching layer is located in the bridge areas and the non-bridge
area and is disposed on the first electrode strings and the second
electrode strings, wherein a thickness of the third optical
matching layer in each of the bridge areas is A, and a thickness of
the third optical matching layer in the non-bridge area is B, and
(B-A).ltoreq.0.1 B.
[0020] In an embodiment of the invention, the third optical
matching layer is an organic material layer with a refractive index
ranging between 1.6 and 1.7.
[0021] In an embodiment of the invention, a thickness of the third
optical matching layer at a boundary of the non-bridge area and the
bridge areas is C, and C is greater than A and B.
[0022] In an embodiment of the invention,
2 .ltoreq. C B .ltoreq. 5. ##EQU00001##
[0023] According to the above descriptions, since the first optical
matching pattern disposed in the bridge areas avails compensating a
reflectivity difference between the area where the single layer
electrode strings are located (the non-bridge area) and the
staggered positions of the electrode strings (the bridge areas),
the touch panel of the invention has a good visual effect.
[0024] In order to make the aforementioned and other features and
advantages of the invention comprehensible, several exemplary
embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail
below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further
understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate
embodiments of the invention and, together with the description,
serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0026] FIG. 1A is a top view of a touch panel according to an
embodiment of the invention.
[0027] FIG. 1B is a first cross-sectional view of FIG. 1A along a
section line I-I'.
[0028] FIG. 2 to FIG. 6 are respectively second to sixth
cross-sectional views of FIG. 1A along the section line I-I'.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] FIG. 1A is a top view of a touch panel according to an
embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1B is a first cross-sectional
view of FIG. 1A along a section line I-I'. Referring to FIG. 1A and
FIG. 1B, the touch panel 100 includes a substrate 110, a plurality
of first electrode strings 120, a plurality of second electrode
strings 130, a plurality of insulating patterns 140, and a
plurality of first optical matching patterns 150.
[0030] The substrate 110 is adapted to carry the first electrode
strings 120, the second electrode strings 130, the insulating
patterns 140 and the first optical matching patterns 150. In the
present embodiment, the substrate 110 is, for example, a cover
plate, wherein the first electrode strings 120, the second
electrode strings 130, the insulating patterns 140 and the first
optical matching patterns 150 are disposed on an inner surface S1
of the substrate 110, and an outer surface S2 of the substrate 110
is a touch operation surface. Namely, a touch object (for example,
a finger or a stylus) touches the outer surface S2 or executes a
suspending operation above the outer surface S2.
[0031] The substrate 110 can be a rigid substrate with a high
mechanical strength to protect the covered components (for example,
scratch proof). When the touch panel 100 is required to be combined
with a display panel for utilization, a material of the substrate
110 is a transparent material to avoid shielding a display beam
coming from the display panel. The transparent material generally
refers to a material with a high transmittance, and is not limited
to materials with a transmittance of 100%. For example, the
substrate 110 can be a transparent tempered glass substrate, though
the invention is not limited thereto.
[0032] The substrate 110 has a plurality of bridge areas A1 and a
non-bridge area A2 connected to the bridge areas A1. The first
electrode strings 120 and the second electrode strings 130 are
disposed on the substrate 110 and are staggered in the bridge areas
A1. Specifically, boundaries of the bridge areas A1 and the
non-bridge area A2 are, for example, defined by positions X (shown
in FIG. 1B) protruding due to staggering of the first electrode
string 120 and the second electrode string 130.
[0033] In the present embodiment, the substrate 110 may further
have a peripheral area A3 surrounding the non-bridge area A2, so as
to configure a plurality of wires W for transmitting signals and
other circuits that are not shown. Each of the wires W is
electrically connected to one of the first electrode strings 120 or
one of the second electrode strings 130, and the wires W
concentratedly extend into a bonding area A31 of the peripheral
area A3 for bonding with a signal transmission circuit (not shown)
or a chip (not shown). In order to avoid revealing the wires W and
the circuit to influence a visual effect of the display panel 100,
the touch panel 100 can be further configured with a black matrix
layer BM to shield the wires W and circuit. As shown in FIG. 1A,
the black matrix layer BM covers the peripheral area A3 and exposes
the bridge areas A1 and the non-bridge area A2, wherein a boundary
of the peripheral area A3 and the non-bridge area A2 is defined by
an inner edge SI of the black matrix layer BM.
[0034] Each of the first electrode strings 120 includes a plurality
of first electrode pads 122 and a plurality of first connection
lines 124. Each of the first connection lines 124 connects two
adjacent first electrode pads 122 in series along a first direction
D1. Each of the second electrode strings 130 includes a plurality
of second electrode pads 132 and a plurality of second connection
lines 134. Each of the second connection lines 134 connects two
adjacent second electrode pads 132 in series along a second
direction D2, and each of the second connection lines 134 and the
corresponding first connection line 124 are staggered in one of the
bridge areas A1. The second direction D2 and the first direction D1
are intersected and are, for example, perpendicular to each other.
It should be noted that FIG. 1A only schematically illustrates one
of the pattern designs of the electrode strings (including the
first electrode strings 120 and the second electrode strings 130),
and the invention is not limited thereto.
[0035] The first electrode string 120 and the second electrode
string 130 may adopt a transparent conductive material, for
example, metal oxide, though the invention is not limited thereto.
The metal oxide, for example, includes indium tin oxide, indium
zinc oxide, aluminium tin oxide, aluminium zinc oxide or zinc
indium germanium oxide, etc.
[0036] The insulating patterns 140 are located in the bridge areas
A1, and each of the insulating layers 140 is respectively located
between one of the first electrode strings 120 and the
corresponding second electrode string 130. As shown in FIG. 1B,
each of the insulating pattern 140 is located at a stagger position
of the first electrode string 120 and the second electrode string
130, and is located between one of the first connection lines 124
and the corresponding second connection line 134 to structurally
separate the first connection line 124 and the second connection
line 134. In this way, a short circuit between the first connection
line 124 and the second connection line 134 due to mutual contact
is avoided. A thickness H140 of each of the insulating patterns 140
is, for example, greater than 1 .mu.m and smaller than or equal to
5 .mu.m.
[0037] Each of the first optical matching patterns 150 is located
in one of the bridge areas A1 respectively and located between a
corresponding first electrode string 120 and a corresponding second
electrode string 130. As shown in FIG. 1B, each of the first
optical matching patterns 150 is respectively located at the
staggered position of the first electrode string 120 and the second
electrode string 130, and is located between one of the first
connection lines 124 and the corresponding second connection line
134. Each of the insulating patterns 140 is respectively disposed
on a surface of one of the first optical matching patterns 150
facing away from the substrate 110. Namely, the first optical
matching pattern 150 is closer to the touch operation surface (i.e.
the outer surface S2) compared with the insulation pattern 140.
[0038] In the present embodiment, the second connection lines 134,
the first optical matching patterns 150, the insulating patterns
140 and the first connection lines 124 are sequentially stacked on
the substrate 110, and the first electrode pads 122 (shown in FIG.
1A), the second electrode pads 132 and the first connection lines
124 belong to a same layer. Namely, the first electrode pads 122,
the second electrode pads 132 and the first connection lines 124
are manufactured through a same manufacturing process. However, a
stacking sequence of the above film layers is not limited thereto.
In another embodiment, the first connection lines 124, the first
optical matching patterns 150, the insulating patterns 140 and the
second connection lines 134 can be sequentially stacked on the
substrate 110, and the first electrode pads 122, the second
electrode pads 132 and the first connection lines 124 belong to a
same layer. In other words, the first electrode pads 122, the
second electrode pads 132 and the first connection lines 124 are
first formed on the substrate 110, and then the first optical
matching patterns 150, the insulating patterns 140 and the second
connection lines 134 are sequentially formed.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 1B, each of the first optical matching
patterns 150 can be a single layer structure. By modulating a
thickness H150 of the first optical matching pattern 150, and
making a refractive index of the first optical matching pattern 150
to be between a refractive index of the electrode strings
(including the first electrode strings 120 and the second electrode
strings 130) and a refractive index of the insulating patterns 140,
reflectivity of the area where the first optical matching pattern
150 is located may be effectively decreased based on destructive
interference of light. In the present embodiment, the thickness
H150 of each of the first optical matching patterns 150 may range
between 10 .ANG. and 2000 .ANG., and the refractive index thereof
may range between 1.55 and 1.8. A manufacturing method of the first
optical matching pattern 150 can be a photolithography process, or
after a film coating process, a dry etching process or a wet
etching process is performed for patterning, so as to form the
first optical matching patterns 150. However, the material and the
manufacturing method of the first optical matching patterns 150 are
not limited to the above description.
[0040] In order to regionally adjust the reflectivity of the touch
panel 100, the first optical matching patterns 150 of the present
embodiment are only set in the bridge areas A1, and do not cover
the non-bridge area A2. In this way, by modulating the refractive
index and the thickness H150 of the first optical matching patterns
150, a reflectivity difference between the area where the single
layer electrode strings are located (the non-bridge area A2) and
the staggered positions of the electrode strings (the bridge areas
A1) is compensated, such that the reflectivity of the bridge areas
A1 is equal or close to the reflectivity of the non-bridge area A2,
and thus visibility of a bridge trace in the bridge areas A1 is
decreased, and the touch panel 100 may have a good visual
effect.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 1A, the first optical matching patterns 150
and the insulating patterns 140 present a one-to-one configuration
relationship, wherein a width W150 of each of the first optical
matching patterns 150 along the second direction D2 is greater than
a width W124 of each of the first connection lines 124 along the
second direction D2 and is smaller than a length L134 of each of
the second connection lines 134. A shape of the first optical
matching patterns 150 can be the same to a shape of the insulating
patterns 140, and the shape of each of the first optical matching
patterns 150 is different to a shape of each of the first electrode
strings 120 or each of the second electrode strings 130. For
example, orthogonal projections of the first optical matching
patterns 150 and the insulating patterns 140 on the substrate 110
are all rectangles, while a size of the first optical matching
pattern 150 can be slightly greater than a size of the insulating
pattern 140, though the invention is not limited thereto. In other
embodiments, the size of the first optical matching pattern 150 can
also be equal to or slightly smaller than the size of the
insulating pattern 140.
[0042] FIG. 2 to FIG. 6 are respectively second-sixth
cross-sectional views of FIG. 1A along the section line I-I'.
Referring to FIG. 2, the touch panel 100A is similar to the touch
panel 100 of FIG. 1B, and the similar or same components are
denoted by the same referential numbers, and details thereof are
not repeated. A main difference between the touch panel 100A and
the touch panel 100 is that each of the first optical matching
patterns 150A includes at least one first sub layer 152 and at
least one second sub layer 154. In the present embodiment, the
number of the first sub layer 152 and the second sub layer 154 are
respectively 1, and the first sub layer 152 and the second sub
layer 154 are sequentially stacked between the substrate 110 and
the corresponding insulating pattern 140, and are located between
the insulating layer 140 and the second connection line 134.
[0043] By modulating a thickness H152 of the first sub layer 152
and a thickness H154 of the second sub layer 154, and based on a
high-low refractive index stacking design, the reflectivity of the
area where the first optical matching pattern 150A is located can
be effectively decreased, such that the reflectivity difference
between the bridge areas A1 and the non-bridge area A2 approaches
0. The aforementioned high and low refractive index stacking design
is, for example, to make a refractive index of the second
connection line 134 to be greater than a refractive index of the
first sub layer 152, and make the refractive index of the first sub
layer 152 to be lower than a refractive index of the second sub
layer 154, and make the refractive index of the second sub layer
154 to be higher than a refractive index of the insulating pattern
140. For example, the refractive index of the first sub layer 152
may range between 1.4 and 1.8, and the refractive index of the
second sub layer 154 may range between 1.8 and 3. A material of the
first sub layer 152 may include SiO.sub.2and a material of the
second sub layer 154 may include Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, TiO.sub.2,
ZrO.sub.2, SiN.sub.x or SiO.sub.xN.sub.y, though the invention is
not limited thereto. Moreover, the thickness H152 of the first sub
layer 152 and the thickness H154 of the second sub layer 154 may
respectively range between 10 .ANG. and 2000 .ANG..
[0044] Referring to FIG. 3, the touch panel 100B is similar to the
touch panel 100A of FIG. 2, and the similar or same components are
denoted by the same referential numbers, and details thereof are
not repeated. A main difference between the touch panel 100B and
the touch panel 100A is that the numbers of the first sub layers
152 and the second sub layers 154 of the first optical matching
pattern 150B are respectively greater than 1 (for example, are
respectively 2), and the first sub layers 152 and the second sub
layers 154 are alternately stacked between the substrate 110 and
the corresponding insulating pattern 140, and are located between
the insulating pattern 140 and the second connection line 134. The
material of the first sub layer 152 and the second sub layer 154
may refer to the aforementioned description, and detail thereof is
not repeated.
[0045] Referring to FIG. 4, the touch panel 100C is similar to the
touch panel 100 of FIG. 1B, and the similar or same components are
denoted by the same referential numbers, and details thereof are
not repeated. A main difference between the touch panel 100C and
the touch panel 100 is that the touch panel 100C further includes a
second optical matching layer 160. The second optical matching
layer 160 is disposed on the substrate 110 and is located in the
bridge areas A1 and the non-bridge area A2, and the second optical
matching layer 160 is located between the first electrode strings
120 and the substrate 110 and between the second electrode strings
130 and the substrate 110. Specifically, the second optical
matching layer 160 can be directly disposed on the inner surface S1
of the substrate 110, and the first electrode strings 120 and the
second electrode strings 130 are disposed on the second optical
matching layer 160.
[0046] A refractive index of the second optical matching layer 160
is, for example, between a refractive index of the substrate 110
and a refractive index of the electrode strings (including the
first electrode strings 120 and the second electrode strings 130)
for compensating a reflectivity difference between a gap G between
the electrode strings and the area where the single layer electrode
strings are located (the area in the non-bridge area A2 except for
the gap G), so as to mitigate the conventional problem of pattern
visibility. For example, the refractive index of the second optical
matching layer 160 may range between 1.6 and 1.7.
[0047] The second optical matching layer 160 can be a single layer
structure or a multi-layer structure. Specifically, the second
optical matching layer 160 may include at least one organic
material layer, at least one inorganic material layer or a stacked
layer of the above two layers. When the second optical matching
layer 160 is a stacked layer of a plurality of sub layers,
refractive indexes of the sub layers arranged in a sequence from
the substrate 110 to the second connection line 134 may adopt a
high-low or high-low-high-low design, wherein the sub layer closest
to the inner surface S1 adopts a material with a high refractive
index, and the sub layer closest to the second connection line 134
adopts a material with a low refractive index. In this way, the
second optical matching layer 160 and the second connection line
134 located thereon, the first optical matching pattern 150 and the
insulating pattern 140 may still have the aforementioned high-low
refractive index stacking design.
[0048] Moreover, the second optical matching layer 160 may
selectively extend to the peripheral area A3, and is located
between the black matrix layer BM and the wires W, though the
invention is not limited thereto. It should be noted that the
second optical matching layer 160 extended to the peripheral area
A3 is required to expose the bonding area A31 (shown in FIG. 1A) in
the peripheral area A3, so as to facilitate bonding the wires W in
the bonding area A31 with a signal transmission circuit (not shown)
or a chip (not shown).
[0049] Referring to FIG. 5, the touch panel 100D is similar to the
touch panel 100 of FIG. 1B, and the similar or same components are
denoted by the same referential numbers, and details thereof are
not repeated. A main difference between the touch panel 100D and
the touch panel 100 of FIG. 1B is that the touch panel 100D further
includes a third optical matching layer 170. The third optical
matching layer 170 is located in the bridge areas A1 and the
non-bridge area A2, and is disposed on the first electrode strings
120 and the second electrode strings 130.
[0050] A refractive index of the third optical matching layer 170
can be between the refractive index of the substrate 110 and the
refractive index of the electrode strings (including the first
electrode string 120 and the second electrode string 130), so as to
compensate a reflectivity difference between the gap G between the
electrode strings and the area where the single layer electrode
strings are located (the area in the non-bridge area A2 except for
the gap G), so as to mitigate the conventional problem of pattern
visibility. For example, the refractive index of the third optical
matching layer 170 ranges between 1.6 and 1.7.
[0051] Moreover, to make a thickness A of the third optical
matching layer 170 at the bridge areas A1 to be consistent with a
thickness B of the third optical matching layer 170 at the
non-bridge area A2, for example, to make (B-A).ltoreq.0.1 B, the
reflectivity difference between the area where the single layer
electrode strings are located (the non-bridge area A2) and the
staggered positions of the electrode strings (the bridge areas A1)
can be further compensated, so as to decrease visibility of the
bridge trace in the bridge areas A1, and thus the touch panel 100D
may have a good visual effect. The thickness A is defined as a
distance between a top surface T170 of the third optical matching
layer 170 and a top surface T124 of the first connection line 124
in the bridge areas A1, and the thickness B is defined as a
distance between the top surface T170 of the third optical matching
layer 170 that is not protruded due to staggering of the electrode
strings and a top surface T132 of the second electrode pad 132 (or
a top surface of the first electrode pad 122) in the non-bridge
area A2.
[0052] Since a film layer thickness of the bridge areas A1 is
greater than a film layer thickness of the non-bridge area A2, when
the third optical matching layer 170 is formed by curing a liquid
material (for example, a liquid organic material), the liquid
material is liable to flow from the bridge areas A1 towards the
non-bridge area A2 before the liquid material is cured, such that
the thickness B of the third optical matching layer 170 at the
non-bridge area A2 is liable to be greater than the thickness A of
the third optical matching layer 170 at the bridge areas A1, and a
thickness C of the third optical matching layer 170 at boundaries
IF of the non-bridge area A2 and the bridge areas A1 is greater
than the thickness A and the thickness B. In the present
embodiment,
2 .ltoreq. C B .ltoreq. 5. ##EQU00002##
The aforementioned boundaries IF are defined as inclined positions
of the third optical matching layer 170 between the non-bridge area
A2 and the bridge areas A1 caused by a thickness step difference of
films therebelow.
[0053] In order to make the thickness A of the third optical
matching layer 170 at the bridge areas A1 and the thickness B of
the third optical matching layer 170 at the non-bridge area A2 to
be consistent, in the present embodiment, a flowability of the
organic material can be decreased by increasing a viscosity of the
organic material, decreasing a levelling property of the organic
material or decreasing a surface tension of the organic material.
For example, the viscosity of the organic material can be design to
be greater than 5 centipoises and less than 50 centipoises, or the
surface tension of the organic material can be designed to be
smaller than a surface tension of the material of each of the
insulating patterns 140. Alternatively, when the third optical
matching layer 170 is formed through printing, the flowability of
the organic material can be decreased by reducing a moving speed
difference between a printing appliance (for example, a roller) and
the substrate 110, so as to implement (B-A).ltoreq.0.1 B.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 6, the touch panel 100E is similar to the
touch panel 100C of FIG. 4, and the similar or same components are
denoted by the same referential numbers, and details thereof are
not repeated. A main difference between the touch panel 100E and
the touch panel 100C is that the touch panel 100E further includes
the third optical matching layer 170. The material, the
configuration position and effects of the third optical matching
layer 170 may refer to the corresponding description of FIG. 5, and
details thereof are not repeated.
[0055] In summary, in the invention, the first optical matching
pattern is disposed in the bridge areas to compensate a
reflectivity difference between the area where the single layer
electrode strings are located (the non-bridge area) and the
staggered positions of the electrode strings (the bridge areas),
the touch panel of the invention may have a good visual effect. In
an embodiment, at least one of the second optical matching layer
and the third optical matching layer can be further configured to
compensate the reflectivity difference between the gap between the
electrode strings and the area where the single layer electrode
strings are located, so as to mitigate the conventional problem of
pattern visibility, and make the reflectivity of the gap between
the electrode strings, the reflectivity of the area where the
single layer electrode strings are located and the reflectivity at
the staggered positions of the electrode strings to be consistent,
and thus the touch panel may have an ideal visual effect.
[0056] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the
invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the
invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the
invention cover modifications and variations of this invention
provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and
their equivalents.
* * * * *