U.S. patent application number 13/666981 was filed with the patent office on 2017-01-26 for touch panel and a manufacturing method thereof.
The applicant listed for this patent is TPK Touch Solutions(Xiamen) Inc.. Invention is credited to Yuh-Wen Lee, Lichun Yang, Qiong Yuan, Chunyong Zhang.
Application Number | 20170024021 13/666981 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47047512 |
Filed Date | 2017-01-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170024021 |
Kind Code |
A9 |
Lee; Yuh-Wen ; et
al. |
January 26, 2017 |
TOUCH PANEL AND A MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF
Abstract
A touch panel is provided in the present disclosure, comprising:
a sensing patterned layer, comprising a plurality of first sensing
electrode units not in contact with each other along first axis;
and a bridging line, electrically connected with the adjacent first
sensing electrode units along the first axis; wherein the bridging
line are made by at least a metallic layer and a conductive
oxidized layer. By this way the touch panel lowers light
reflection, thereby reducing flashes and bright-spots on the touch
panel and improving appearance of the touch panel.
Inventors: |
Lee; Yuh-Wen; (Hsinchu,
TW) ; Yang; Lichun; (Xiamen City, CN) ; Zhang;
Chunyong; (Xiamen, CN) ; Yuan; Qiong;
(Nanchang, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TPK Touch Solutions(Xiamen) Inc. |
Xiamen |
|
CN |
|
|
Prior
Publication: |
|
Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20140125597 A1 |
May 8, 2014 |
|
|
Family ID: |
47047512 |
Appl. No.: |
13/666981 |
Filed: |
November 2, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/04420130101; G06F
3/0443 20190501; G06F 2203/04111 20130101; G06F 3/0446 20190501;
G06F 2203/04103 20130101; G06F 3/03 20130101; Y10T 29/49117
20150115 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/041 20060101
G06F003/041; H05K 13/00 20060101 H05K013/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 31, 2011 |
CN |
201110461225.3 |
Claims
1. A touch panel, comprising: a sensing patterned layer, comprising
a plurality of first sensing electrode units not in contact with
each other along first axis; and a bridging line, electrically
connected with the adjacent first sensing electrode units along the
first axis; wherein the bridging line are made by at least a
metallic layer and a conductive oxidized layer.
2. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising a substrate on
which the sensing patterned layer is disposed.
3. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the metallic layer of the
bridging line connects to the adjacent first electrode units.
4. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the conductive oxidized
layer of the bridging line connects to the adjacent first electrode
units.
5. The touch panel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of
second sensing electrode units distributed along second axis, and
wherein the first sensing electrode units are electrically
connected with each other via the bridging line to form a first
sensing array, and the second sensing electrode wins are linked
mutually via an interconnecting part to form a second sensing
array, Wherein the first sensing array and the second sensing array
being mutually insulated.
6. The touch panel of claim 5, further comprising an insulating
block disposed between the interconnecting part and the bridging
line for insulating the first sensing array and the second sensing
array.
7. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the metallic layer and the
conductive oxidized layer overlap and interlace with each
other.
8. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein the bridging line comprises:
a first metallic layer; a first conductive oxidized layer, covering
the first metallic layer; a second metallic layer, covering the
first conductive oxidized layer; and a second conductive oxidized
layer, covering the second metallic layer.
9. The touch panel of claim 8, wherein thickness of the first
metallic layer is larger than those of other conductive oxidized
layers or metallic layers.
10. The touch panel of claim 9, wherein thickness of the first
metallic layer is 100 nm .+-.20%.
11. The touch panel of claim 1, wherein color of the bridging lines
is black or dark gray.
12. The touch panel of claim 1 wherein the conductive oxidized
layers are composed of one or more of indium tin oxide, antimony
tin oxide, ZnO ZnO.sub.2, SnO.sub.2 and In.sub.2O.sub.2.
13. The touch panel of claim 1, Wherein the metallic layers are
composed of one or more of gold, silver, copper, nickel, tungsten,
aluminum, molybdenum, chromium or their alloys and their
nitro-compounds or their oxidized compounds.
14. A manufacturing method for a touch panel, comprising: forming a
sensing patterned layer, wherein the sensing patterned layer
includes a plurality of first sensing electrode units not in
contact with each other along first axis; and forming a bridging
line to electrically connect with the adjacent first sensing
electrode units; wherein the bridging line are made by at least a
metallic layer and a conductive oxidized layer.
15. The manufacturing method for the touch panel of claim 14,
wherein the sensing patterned layer further comprises a plurality
of second sensing electrode units along second axis and a plurality
of interconnecting parts, wherein the first sensing electrode units
are electrically connected with each other via the bridging line to
form a first sensing array, and the second sensing electrode units
are linked mutually via the interconnecting parts to form a second
sensing array, wherein the first sensing array and the second
sensing array being mutually insulated.
16. The manufacturing method for the touch panel of claim 15,
wherein the step before the step of forming the bridging lines
further comprises: forming a plurality of insulating blocks set
between the bridging lines and the interconnecting parts for
insulating the first sensing array and the second sensing
array.
17. The manufacturing method for the touch panel of claim 14,
Wherein the bridging lines includes a first metallic layer, first
conductive oxidized layer, a second metallic layer, and a second
conductive oxidized layer.
18. The manufacturing method for the touch panel of claim 17,
wherein the said step of forming bridging lines includes: forming
the first metallic layer to electrically connect with the adjacent
first sensing electrode units; forming the first conductive
oxidized layer to cover the first metallic layer; forming the
second metallic layer to cover the first conductive oxidized layer;
and forming the second conductive oxidized layer to cover the
second metallic layer.
19. The manufacturing method for the touch panel of claim 17,
wherein the said step of forming bridging lines includes: forming
the second conductive oxidized layer to electrically connect with
the adjacent first sensing electrode units; forming the second
metallic layer to cover the second conductive oxidized layer;
forming the first conductive oxidized layer to cover the second
metallic layer; and forming the first metallic layer to cover the
first conductive oxidized layer.
20. The manufacturing method for the touch panel of claim 14,
wherein the metallic layer and the conductive oxidized layer
overlap and interlace with each other.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Chinese application
No 201110461225.3 filed on Dec. 31, 2011.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present disclosure relates to an input interface. More
particularly the present disclosure relates to a touch panel and a
method for manufacturing the same.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] A touch panel usually includes a substrate and sensing
electrode units distributed interruptedly along first axis on the
substrate and sensing arrays distributed along second axis on the
substrate, wherein the sensing electrode units are actualized to be
electrically connected via bridging bites and electrically
insulated with the sensing arrays.
[0006] Since the surfaces of the bridging lines are usually made of
highly reflective and opaque materials (such metals as aluminum,
molybdenum), the bridging lines reflect lights to form a
bright-spot area on the touch panel. When the touch panel is
manipulated, the visual differences between the bridging area and
the non-bridging area can be seen on the touch panel, thereby
affecting visual effect of the appearance of the touch panel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present disclosure is to improve a bridging line with
laminated structure of a metallic layer and a conductive oxidized
layer so as to lower light reflection, thereby reducing flashes and
bright-spots on touch panel and improving appearance of the touch
panel.
[0008] In order to reach the foregoing and other purposes, the
present disclosure provides a touch panel, comprising: a sensing
patterned layer including a plurality of first sensing electrode
units not in contact with each other along the first axis; and a
bridging line electrically connected with the adjacent first
sensing electrode units along the first axis; wherein the bridging
line are made by at least a metallic layer and a conductive
oxidized layer.
[0009] The present disclosure also provides a manufacturing method
for a touch panel, comprising: forming a sensing, patterned layer,
wherein the sensing patterned layer includes a plurality of first
sensing electrode units not in contact with each other along first
axis; and forming a bridging line to electrically connect with the
adjacent first sensing electrode units; wherein the bridging line
are made by at least a metallic layer and a conductive oxidized
layer.
[0010] The approach of the present disclosure is to improve the
bridging line with a laminated structure of a metallic layer and a
conductive oxidized layer. So that the layers of the bridge line
generate light interference effect with each other and the
appearance of the bridge line is black or dark, thereby reducing
the visibility of the bridge line. The bridging lines of the touch
panel in the present disclosure can effectively lower reflection
and get rid of flashes or bright-spots on the appearance of the
touch panel. Therefore, the bridging lines of the touch panel in
the present disclosure possess more favorable optical effect
compared to the traditional structure.
[0011] For understanding more about the features and the technical
contents of the present disclosure, please refer to the following
detailed illustrations and attached drawings pertaining, to the
present disclosure. However, the diagrams enclosed are only used
for reference and illustration, but not for the limitation to the
present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] For those skilled in the art, numerous embodiments and
drawings described below are for illustration purpose only and not
to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any manner.
[0013] FIG. 1A is a top-view schematic diagram of a touch panel in
accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional schematic diagram shown in FIG.
1A along the cross-sectional line I-I.
[0015] FIG. 1C is a flow chart of a manufacturing method for a
touch panel in accordance with the first embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of bridging lines of a touch
panel in accordance with the second embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 2B is a flow chart of a manufacturing method for a
touch panel in accordance with another embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 2C is a flow chart of a manufacturing method for a
touch panel in accordance with the second embodiment of the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0019] FIG. 1A is a top-view schematic diagram of a touch panel in
accordance with the first embodiment of the present disclosure,
while FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional schematic diagram shown in FIG.
1A along the cross-sectional line I-I. FIG. 1C is a flow chart of a
manufacturing method for touch panels in accordance with the first
embodiment of the present disclosure. With reference to FIG. 1A and
FIG. 1B, the touch panel 100 of the present embodiment includes a
substrate 110, multiple bridging lines 120, and a sensing patterned
layer 130. The sensing patterned layer 130 is disposed on the
substrate 110, wherein the substrate 110 may be a glass plate or a
transparent plastic sheet.
[0020] The sensing patterned layer 130 comprises multiple first
sensing electrode units 131 distributed along first axis, multiple
second sensing electrode its 132 distributed along second axis and
multiple interconnecting parts 133. Wherein the lust sensing
electrode units 131, the second sensing electrode units 132 and the
interconnecting pails 133 are disposed on the substrate 110. The
bridging lines 120 are in connection between two adjacent lint
sensing electrode units 131 to form multiple first sensing
electrode arrays L1 paralleled with each other, whereas the various
interconnecting parts 133 are in connection between two adjacent
second sensing electrode units 132 to form multiple second sensing
arrays L2 paralleled with each other, wherein the first sensing
arrays L1 and the second sensing arrays L2 are electrically
insulated from each other. The touch sensing panel 100 can further
include an insulating block 140, wherein the insulating block 140
is disposed in space between the interconnecting part 133 and the
bridging line 120 to reach the purpose of electrical insulation
with each other. The first sensing arrays L1 and the second sensing
arrays L2 are interlaced, wherein the various interconnecting parts
133 are located right below any one of the bridging lines 120.
Therefore, the interconnecting parts 133 are respectively
interlaced with the bridging lines 120. In addition, the sensing
patterned layer 130 can be made of a transparent conductive film
which may be indium tin oxide or indium zinc oxide, wherein the
first sensing electrode units 131, the second sensing electrode
units 132 and the interconnecting parts 133 can be formed by the
said transparent conductive film via photolithography and
etching.
[0021] The multiple bridging lines 120 are made by metallic layer
and conductive oxidized layer overlapping and interlacing with each
other in sequence, wherein the metallic layer far away from the
person's eyes is the first metallic layer 120A electrically
connected with the adjacent sensing electrode unit 131. The first
conductive oxidized layer 120B covers the first metallic layer
120A, and the second metallic layer 120C covers the first
conductive oxidized layer 120B, whereas the second conductive
oxidized layer 120D covers the second metallic layer 120C. The
first metallic layers 120A and the second metallic layers 120C are
made of, but not limited to, at least one kind of gold, silver,
copper, nickel, tungsten, aluminum, molybdenum, chromium or their
alloys and their nitro-compound or their oxidized compound. The
first conductive oxidized layer 120B and the second conductive
oxidized layer 120D can be composed of, but not limited to, at
least one kind of indium tin oxides, antimony tin oxides, ZnO,
ZnO2, SnO2 or In2O2. The bridging lines 120 can be formed by
performing the photolithography process and then performing the
etching process.
[0022] Thickness of the first metallic layer 120A is 100 nm.+-.20%.
In a preferable embodiment, thicknesses of the first metallic layer
120A, the first conductive oxidized layer 120B, the second metallic
layer 120C and the second conductive oxidized layer 120D are
respectively 100 nm, 17 nm, 10 nm and 20 nm. Thickness of the first
metallic layer 120A is larger than that of other layers. Dark
metallic materials of black or dark gray color can be further
chosen for the first metallic layer 120A to make transmittance of
the said metallic layer lesser and enable the said metallic layer
to absorb most of the hens entering into the lower side of the
bridging lines so that the integral bridging lines present the
effect of invisibility.
[0023] Please make further reference to FIG. 1C. The manufacturing
method for touch panels in accordance with the first embodiment of
the present disclosure comprises: S1, forming a transparent
conductive film on the substrate 110; S2, patterning the
transparent conductive films and forming multiple first sensing
electrode units 131 distributed along the first axis, multiple
second sensing electrode units 132 distributed along the second
axis and multiple interconnecting parts 133; S3, forming a
plurality of insulating blocks 140; S4, forming bridging lines 120
to electrically connect with the adjacent first sensing electrode
units 131, wherein the bridging line 120 are made by at least a
metallic layer and a conductive oxidized layer.
[0024] The said step S4 specifically includes: S41, forming the
first metallic layer 120A electrically connected with the adjacent
sensing electrode units 131; S42, forming the first conductive
oxidized layer 120B covering the first metallic layer; S43, forming
the second metallic layer 120C covering the first conductive
oxidized layer 120B; S44, forming the second conductive oxidized
layer 120D covering the second metallic layer 120C.
[0025] The traditional Mo--Al--Mo structure is abandoned and
changed into the laminated structure of metallic layers and
conductive oxidized layers for the bridging lines 120 of the touch
panel in the present disclosure. For reducing the flashes and the
bright spots on the appearance of the touch panel used and
improving its appearance, the present disclosure makes the lights
among the various layers generating the effect of interference and
offsetting mutually, thereby rendering the integral bridging lines
under the person's eyes presenting the effect of invisibility.
[0026] FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram in accordance with another
embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the structure is
similar to that of the foregoing embodiment and the identical
components are symbolized with the same numbers. The difference in
both the embodiments is that an upper surface 110A of a substrate
110 serves as a touch panel and a lower surface 110B series as a
supporting plane for a sensing patterned layer 130. Bridging lines
120 of this embodiment are similarly separated into four layers; a
metallic layer far away from the person's eyes is the first
metallic layer 120A; a first conductive oxidized layer 120B
covering the first metallic layer 120A; the second metallic layer
120C covering, the first conductive oxidized layer 120B; the second
conductive oxidized layer 120D electrically connected with the
adjacent sensing electrode unit 131 covering the second metallic
layer 120C. The first metallic layer 120A and the second metallic
layer 120C are composed of, but not limited to, at least one kind
of gold, silver, copper, nickel, tungsten, aluminum, molybdenum,
chromium or their alloys and their nitro-compound or their oxidized
compound. The first conductive oxidized layer 120B and the second
conductive oxidized layer 120D can be composed of, but not limited
to, at least one kind of indium tin oxide, antimony tin oxide, ZnO,
ZnO.sub.2, SnO.sub.2 or In.sub.2O.sub.2.
[0027] FIG. 2C is a flow chart of a manufacturing method for touch
panels in accordance with another embodiment of the present
disclosure, wherein the manufacturing method is essentially
identical to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, and
the difference in both the embodiments lies in that Step S4 in the
present embodiment includes: S41, forming the second conductive
oxidized layer 120D electrically connected with the adjacent
sensing electrode units 131; S42, forming the second metallic layer
120C covering the second conductive oxidized layer 120D; S43,
forming the first conductive oxidized layer 120B covering the
second metallic layer 120C; S44, forming the first metallic layer
120A covering the second metallic layer 120C.
[0028] Thickness of the first metallic layer 120A is larger than
those of other layers. Dark metallic materials of black or dark
gray color can be chosen for the first metallic layer to make it
capable of absorbing most of the lights entering into the lower
side of the bridging lines so that the integral bridging lines
present the effect of invisibility.
[0029] In an embodiment, the bridging lines 120 present the black
non-transparent effect by viewing, whether done from up to down or
from down to up. Thereby, the bridging lines 120, used for a touch
panel, can remove Rashes and bright spots on an appearance and
improve the appearance. Therefore, the present disclosure possesses
more favorable optical effect compared to the traditional
Mo--Al--Mo structure. Subsequently, the bridging lines 120 of the
present disclosure can be rendered possessing the effect of
integral invisibility by means of the laminated structure.
[0030] While certain embodiments have been shown and described,
various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without
departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore,
it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been
described by way of illustration and not limitation.
* * * * *