JP2016018335A - Touch panel device and display device with touch position detection function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a touch panel device including a touch panel sensor, and a protective cover that has a specific shape such as a curved surface and can be easily obtained.SOLUTION: A protective cover comprises a plastic molding, and has a first surface configured such that the thickness of the ends of the protective cover is different from the thickness of the center part of the protective cover. A detection pattern of a touch panel sensor is configured by arranging a plurality of conducting wires having a light-shielding property and conductivity in a mesh state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch panel device including a touch panel sensor and a protective cover disposed on an observer side of the touch panel sensor. The present invention also relates to a display device with a touch position detection function obtained by combining a touch panel sensor, a protective cover, and a display device.

  Today, touch panel devices are widely used as input means. The touch panel device includes a touch panel sensor, a detection control unit that processes a signal from the touch panel sensor, and the like. In many cases, the touch panel device is used together with the display device as an input means for various devices including a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display (for example, a ticket vending machine, an ATM device, a mobile phone, a game machine). It has been. In such a device, the touch panel sensor is disposed on the display surface of the display device, thereby enabling extremely direct input to the display device. The area | region which faces the display area of a display apparatus among touch panel sensors is transparent, and this area | region of a touch panel sensor comprises the active area which can detect a contact position (approach position).

  As a touch panel sensor, a projection capacitive coupling type touch panel sensor is known. In the capacitive coupling type touch panel sensor, when an external conductor (typically, a finger) whose position is to be detected contacts (approaches) the touch panel sensor via a dielectric, a strange capacitance is newly generated. The position of the external conductor on the touch panel sensor is detected on the basis of the change in capacitance caused by this strange capacitance. Such a projected capacitive coupling touch panel sensor includes a base material and a plurality of detection patterns provided on the base material. An electrical signal such as a pulse signal is transmitted to the detection pattern. The position of the external conductor on the touch panel sensor can be detected by analyzing the change in the pulse signal caused by the approach of the external conductor.

  In general, the touch panel device includes a protective cover disposed on the observer side of the touch panel sensor in addition to the touch panel sensor (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this case, an external conductor such as a finger comes into contact with the protective cover. For this reason, by providing a protective cover, the touch panel sensor and the display device can be protected from the outside. Such a protective cover is made of a transparent dielectric such as glass.

  As the protective cover, a cover having both flat surfaces is mainly used. In addition, in Patent Document 1, a curved surface is formed on the protective cover in order to make the detection sensitivity of the touch position in the center of the touch panel sensor uniform and the detection sensitivity of the touch position in the vicinity of the end of the touch panel sensor. It has been proposed.

JP2013-20542A

  Conventionally, tempered glass is generally used as a protective cover disposed on the viewer side of the touch panel sensor. The tempered glass is a glass in which a compressive stress layer is formed on the surface of the glass and a tensile stress layer is formed inside the glass by performing a heat treatment in which the glass is heated and then rapidly cooled. In such tempered glass, even if some striking force is applied to the surface on one side thereof (hereinafter also referred to as the first surface), and a scratch such as a crack is formed on the surface thereof, Due to the compressive stress layer, the damage is prevented from expanding. For this reason, the tempered glass is difficult to break.

  However, due to the above-described structure of tempered glass, it is difficult to obtain a desired shape by cutting the surface of tempered glass. This is because cutting the surface of the tempered glass removes the compressive stress layer on the surface, and as a result, the tempered glass tends to break. Therefore, in order to produce a tempered glass having a surface having a unique shape such as a curved surface, the glass is molded before the heat treatment for tempering, and a curved surface or an inclined surface is imparted to the glass. I will keep it. However, large-scale production facilities are required for glass forming. Therefore, it is not easy to manufacture a protective cover having a unique shape such as a curved surface in a small lot.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such points, and relates to a touch panel device including a touch panel sensor and a protective cover that has a unique shape such as a curved surface and is easily available. The present invention also relates to a display device with a touch position detection function obtained by combining a touch panel sensor, a protective cover, and a display device.

  The present invention is a touch panel device including a touch panel sensor and a protective cover disposed on an observer side of the touch panel sensor, the touch panel sensor including an active area corresponding to a region where a touch position can be detected, and an active area A base material including an inactive area located around the area, a detection pattern arranged in the active area, a frame wiring arranged in the inactive area and electrically connected to the detection pattern, The protective cover includes a first surface on the observer side and a flat second surface on the touch panel sensor side, and the protective cover is made of a plastic molded body, The first surface is configured such that the thickness of the end portion of the protective cover is different from the thickness of the central portion of the protective cover. Ri, the detection pattern of the touch panel sensor, a plurality of wires having a light shielding property and conductivity are formed by placing a mesh shape, a touch panel device.

  In the touch panel device according to the present invention, the first surface of the protective cover may be configured such that the thickness of the end portion of the protective cover is smaller than the thickness of the central portion of the protective cover. In this case, the first surface of the protective cover may include a curved surface that is convex toward the viewer side. The first surface of the protective cover may include a flat surface including a central portion of the protective cover, and an inclined surface inclined toward the touch panel sensor as it goes outward from an outer edge of the flat surface. Good.

  In the touch panel device according to the present invention, the thickness of the protective cover at a position corresponding to the boundary between the active area and the inactive area of the touch panel sensor is preferably 50 to 50% of the thickness of the central portion of the protective cover. It is within the range of 80%.

  In the touch panel device according to the present invention, the first surface of the protective cover may be configured such that the thickness of the end portion of the protective cover is larger than the thickness of the central portion of the protective cover. In this case, the first surface of the protective cover may include a curved surface that is recessed toward the touch panel sensor side.

  In the touch panel device according to the present invention, the protective cover is preferably made of an acrylic resin, a polycarbonate resin, a polyethylene terephthalate resin, or a laminate thereof.

  The present invention includes a display device, a touch panel sensor disposed on a display surface of the display device, and a protective cover disposed on an observer side of the touch panel sensor, and the touch panel sensor detects a touch position. A base material including an active area corresponding to a region to be obtained, a non-active area located around the active area, a detection pattern disposed in the active area, and a detection pattern disposed in the non-active area. A frame wiring electrically connected, and the protective cover includes a first surface on the viewer side and a flat second surface on the touch panel sensor side, and the protective cover is a plastic molded body. The first surface of the protective cover has a thickness of an end portion of the protective cover different from a thickness of a central portion of the protective cover. It is comprised so that it may become, The said detection pattern of the said touchscreen sensor is a display apparatus with a touch position detection function comprised by arrange | positioning the several conducting wire which has light-shielding property and electroconductivity in mesh shape.

  According to the present invention, the protective cover is made of a plastic molded body. For this reason, various shapes, such as a curved surface and an inclined surface, can be easily given to a protective cover. As a result, the design of the touch panel device and the display device with a touch position detection function can be improved. According to the invention, the detection pattern of the touch panel sensor is configured by arranging a plurality of conductive wires having light shielding properties and conductivity in a mesh shape. Therefore, the electrical resistance value of the detection pattern can be reduced as compared with a touch panel sensor of a type in which the detection pattern is configured by a transparent conductive material such as ITO. For this reason, the tolerance of the touch panel sensor with respect to noise can be increased, and thereby the detection sensitivity can be improved. Therefore, by configuring the protective cover with a plastic molded body, it is possible to maintain a desired detection sensitivity even when the capacitance is lower than that of the glass-type protective cover.

FIG. 1 is a development view showing a display device with a touch position detection function in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a touch panel sensor in the display device with a touch position detection function of FIG. 1. FIG. 3A is an enlarged plan view showing a first detection pattern in a portion surrounded by an alternate long and short dash line denoted by reference numeral III in FIG. 2. FIG. 3B is an enlarged plan view showing a second detection pattern in a portion surrounded by an alternate long and short dash line denoted by reference numeral III in FIG. 2. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the touch panel sensor of FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the display device with a touch position detection function of FIG. 1. FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams showing an example of processing tempered glass into a curved shape for comparison with the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a display device with a touch position detection function in a modification of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a display device with a touch position detection function according to another modification of the embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the drawings attached to the present specification, for the sake of illustration and ease of understanding, the scale, the vertical / horizontal dimension ratio, and the like are appropriately changed and exaggerated from those of the actual ones.

Touch Panel Device and Display Device with Touch Position Detection Function First, a display device 10 with a touch position detection function will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the display device 10 with a touch position detection function includes a display device 15 such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, a touch panel sensor 30 disposed on the viewer side of the display device 15, and a touch panel sensor 30. It is configured by combining the protective cover 12 disposed on the viewer side. The display device 15 includes a display panel 16 having a display surface 16 a and a display control unit (not shown) connected to the display panel 16. The display panel 16 includes an active area A1 that can display an image, and an inactive area (also referred to as a frame area) A2 that is disposed outside the active area A1 so as to surround the active area A1. . The display control unit processes information regarding the video to be displayed, and drives the display panel 16 based on the video information. The display panel 16 displays a predetermined image on the display surface 16a based on a control signal from the display control unit. That is, the display device 15 plays a role as an output device that outputs information such as characters and drawings as video.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the touch panel sensor 30 is bonded to the display surface 16 a of the display device 15 via, for example, an adhesive layer (not shown). Similarly, the protective cover 12 is also bonded to the touch panel sensor 30 via an adhesive layer (not shown) or the like.

Touch Panel Sensor Next, an outline of the touch panel sensor 30 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the touch panel sensor 30 when viewed from the observer side.

  Here, an example in which the touch panel sensor 30 is configured as a projection capacitive touch panel sensor will be described. The “capacitive coupling” method is also referred to as “capacitance” method or “capacitance coupling” method in the technical field of touch panels. It is treated as a term synonymous with the “capacitive coupling” method. A typical capacitive coupling type touch panel sensor has a light-transmitting conductive pattern, and an external conductor (typically a human finger) approaches the touch panel sensor to externally. A capacitor (capacitance) is formed between this conductor and the conductive pattern of the touch panel sensor. Based on the change in the electrical state accompanying the formation of the capacitor, the position coordinates of the position where the external conductor is approaching on the touch panel sensor are specified. The touch panel sensor 30 according to the present embodiment may be a self-capacitance type or a mutual capacitance type.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the touch panel sensor 30 includes a first surface 32 a facing the viewer side and a second surface 32 b facing the display device side, and has a translucent base material 32 and a first base material 32. A plurality of first detection patterns 41 provided on the surface 32a and extending in the first direction D1 and provided on the second surface 32b of the base material 32 and intersecting the first direction D1, for example, orthogonal to the first direction D1 And a plurality of second detection patterns 46 extending in the second direction D2. As shown in FIG. 2, the first detection pattern 41 and the second detection pattern 46 each extend in a band shape. The plurality of first detection patterns 41 are arranged in the second direction D2 at a constant arrangement pitch, and the plurality of second detection patterns 46 are also arranged in the first direction D1 at a constant arrangement pitch. Usually, the arrangement pitch of the first detection patterns 41 in the second direction D2 and the arrangement pitch of the second detection patterns 46 in the first direction D1 are the same. The arrangement pitch of the first detection pattern 41 and the second detection pattern 46 is determined according to the resolution required for the detection of the touch position, and is, for example, several mm. In FIG. 2, the components provided on the first surface 32a side of the base material 32 are represented by solid lines, and the components provided on the second surface 32b side of the base material 32 are represented by dotted lines. Yes.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the base material 32 of the touch panel sensor 30 includes a rectangular active area Aa1 corresponding to a region where a touch position can be detected, and a rectangular frame-shaped inactive area Aa2 located around the active area Aa1. And. The active area Aa1 and the inactive area Aa2 are respectively partitioned corresponding to the active area A1 and the inactive area A2 of the display panel 16.

  As a material constituting the base material 32, for example, a material having sufficient translucency such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cycloolefin polymer (COP) or glass is used. When the base material 32 contains PET, for example, the thickness of PET is in the range of 100 to 200 μm, for example. As long as the first detection pattern 41, the second detection pattern 46, the frame wirings 44a and 49a and the terminal portions 44b and 49b shown in FIG. 2 can be appropriately held, the specific configuration of the base material 32 is particularly limited. It will never be done. For example, the base material 32 may further include a hard coat layer provided on the surface such as a PET layer. That is, in the present embodiment, the base material 32 does not mean any specific structure or material, but a base of a pattern such as the first detection pattern 41 or the second detection pattern 46 that constitutes the touch panel sensor 30. It just means something.

  The first detection pattern 41 and the second detection pattern 46 described above are arranged in the active area Aa1. In addition, on the first surface 32 a of the base material 32 in the inactive area Aa 2, the plurality of first frame wirings 44 a electrically connected to the first detection patterns 41 and the vicinity of the outer edge of the base material 32 are arranged. A plurality of first terminal portions 44b that are electrically connected to the first frame wirings 44a are provided. In addition, on the second surface 32b of the base material 32 in the inactive area Aa2, a plurality of second frame wirings 49a electrically connected to the second detection patterns 46 and the vicinity of the outer edge of the base material 32 are arranged. And a plurality of second terminal portions 49b electrically connected to the respective second frame wirings 49a.

Protective Cover Next, the protective cover 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 5. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, an observer side surface (hereinafter also referred to as a first surface) of the protective cover 12 is indicated by reference numeral 12 a, and a surface of the protective cover 12 on the touch panel sensor 30 side (hereinafter referred to as a second surface). Also referred to as 12b).

  In plan view, the protective cover 12 extends in the second direction D <b> 2 and the pair of sides extending in the first direction D <b> 1 like the first detection pattern 41 of the touch panel sensor 30 and the second detection pattern 46 of the touch panel sensor 30. It has a rectangular shape including a pair of sides. In FIG. 1, the end of the protective cover 12 in the first direction D1 is indicated by reference numeral 12d, and the end of the protective cover 12 in the second direction D2 is indicated by reference numeral 12e. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a case where the display device with a touch position detection function 10 is cut in a direction parallel to the first direction D1.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the second surface 12b of the protective cover 12 is configured as a flat surface, while the first surface 12a is a curved surface that is convex toward the viewer side. 13a. When the first surface 12a of the protective cover 12 includes the curved surface 13a, the display device with a touch position detection function 10 as a whole can have a curved shape on the front surface thereof, whereby the display device with a touch position detection function is provided. Ten design properties can be improved. In addition, since the 2nd surface 12b of the protective cover 12 is comprised by the flat surface, it is possible to use the flat touch panel sensor 30 currently distribute | circulated as the touch panel sensor 30 combined with the protective cover 12. FIG. Although the place where the display device 10 with a touch position detection function having a curved front surface is used is not particularly limited, for example, the display device 10 with a touch position detection function may be incorporated in a dashboard of a car. In this case, the use of the protective cover 12 including the curved surface 13a along the curved shape of the dashboard of the car may produce an effect that the dashboard and the display device 10 with a touch position detection function can be seen integrally. it can.

  5 shows an example in which the first surface 12a of the protective cover 12 includes the curved surface 13a in the cross-sectional view when the protective cover 12 is cut in a direction parallel to the first direction D1, but the present invention is not limited thereto. It will never be done. Although not shown, in the cross-sectional view when the protective cover 12 is cut in a direction parallel to the second direction D2, the first surface 12a of the protective cover 12 may include a curved surface.

  In FIG. 5, the thickness of the protective cover 12 at the center of the protective cover 12 is indicated by a symbol T <b> 1, and the thickness of the protective cover 12 at the end 12 d of the protective cover 12 is indicated by a symbol T <b> 2. Here, since the first surface 12a includes a curved surface 13a that protrudes toward the viewer, the thickness T2 of the end 12d of the protective cover 12 is smaller than the thickness T1 of the central portion of the protective cover 12. ing. The ratio of the thickness T2 to the thickness T1 is appropriately set according to the design required for the protective cover 12. The central portion of the protective cover 12 is a portion corresponding to the central point 12c of the protective cover 12 in plan view. The thickness T1 of the central portion of the protective cover 12 is appropriately set according to the detection sensitivity required for the display device 10 with a touch position detection function, the strength required for the protective cover 12, and the like. It has become.

  In FIG. 5, the thickness of the protective cover 12 at a position corresponding to the boundary between the active area Aa1 and the inactive area Aa2 of the touch panel sensor 30 is indicated by reference numeral T3. Preferably, the thickness T3 is in the range of 50 to 80% of the thickness T1 of the central portion of the protective cover 12. By setting the thickness T3 in this way, the capacitance between the outer conductor and the detection patterns 41 and 46 in the central portion of the active area Aa1, and the outer conductor and the detection pattern 41 in the vicinity of the outer edge of the active area Aa1. , 46 can be prevented from becoming too large. As a result, the detection sensitivity of the touch position can be suppressed from varying depending on the position.

  Hereinafter, a method for producing the protective cover 12 including the curved surface 13a as shown in FIG. 5 will be described. Here, for comparison with the present embodiment, first, a case where the protective cover 112 according to the comparative embodiment is manufactured by processing the tempered glass into a curved shape will be described with reference to FIGS. explain.

(Comparison form)
First, as shown in FIG. 6A, a tempered glass having a flat first surface 112a and a second surface 112b is prepared. Known methods for obtaining tempered glass include chemical strengthening and physical strengthening (wind cooling strengthening). For example, in chemical strengthening, a chemical treatment is performed in which alkali ions contained in glass are exchanged with other alkali ions having a larger ionic radius at a temperature below the strain point. Thereby, compressive stress can be generated near the surface layer where the ions are exchanged. For example, an inward compressive stress F acts on each point 112f on the first surface 112a and the second surface 112b of the tempered glass. On the other hand, although not shown, a tensile stress that balances with the compressive stress F on the surface acts inside the tempered glass.
Next, the first surface 112a of the tempered glass is processed by cutting or the like. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6B, a curved surface 113a is formed on the first surface 112a. However, at this time, since the compressive stress layer on the first surface 112a is removed, the tensile stress F ′ is applied to the first surface 112a. In this case, when a scratch such as a crack is formed on the first surface 112a, the tensile stress F ′ acts in the direction of expanding the scratch. Thus, the tempered glass after the compressive stress layer is removed becomes very weak against scratches.

  In addition, as a method of manufacturing the protective cover 112 including the curved surface 113a with tempered glass, first, the plate glass is processed by using a mold or the like to give the curved surface 113a to the plate glass, and then the plate glass is subjected to heat treatment. You can think of a way to strengthen the However, processing a plate glass using a mold or the like, or applying a heat treatment to the plate glass requires a large-scale production facility. Therefore, this method cannot be easily implemented.

  In consideration of such a problem, the present inventors propose to configure the protective cover 12 having the curved surface 13a as a plastic molded body. The plastic molded body is a member obtained by molding and solidifying a synthetic resin. Although the plastic molding method is not particularly limited, for example, an injection molding method or a sheet molding method can be employed. Synthetic resins can be molded at a lower temperature than glass. For this reason, the protective cover 12 can be easily provided with the curved surface 13a by configuring the protective cover 12 as a plastic molded body. Further, the shape of the curved surface that protrudes outward is a shape that has already been adopted in a synthetic resin spectacle lens or the like and that can achieve high strength. For this reason, according to this Embodiment, the protective cover 12 which is excellent in design property and has sufficient intensity | strength can be provided easily.

  As the synthetic resin constituting the protective cover 12, a material having sufficient translucency and workability is used. For example, an acrylic resin, a polycarbonate resin, a polyethylene terephthalate resin, or a laminate thereof can be used.

  By the way, the relative dielectric constant of synthetic resin is generally lower than that of glass. For example, while the relative dielectric constant of glass is about 1.7, the relative dielectric constant of synthetic resins such as acrylic resin and polycarbonate resin is about 1.3. For this reason, when the protective cover 12 according to the present embodiment is used, the detection pattern 41 of the external conductor and the touch panel sensor 30 may be used if the thickness of both is the same as compared to the case where the protective cover made of glass is used. , 46 becomes smaller. The decrease in capacitance can lead to a decrease in detection sensitivity of the touch panel sensor 30.

  In consideration of such problems, the present inventors propose to combine the protective cover 12 made of synthetic resin and the detection patterns 41 and 46 of the mesh type touch panel sensor 30. In the detection patterns 41 and 46 of the mesh type touch panel sensor 30, since the detection patterns 41 and 46 are made of a metal material, compared to a touch panel sensor of a type in which the detection pattern is made of a transparent conductive material such as ITO. The electric resistance value of the detection pattern can be reduced. For this reason, the tolerance of the touch panel sensor 30 with respect to noise can be increased, and thereby the detection sensitivity can be improved. That is, according to the combination of the protective cover 12 made of synthetic resin and the detection patterns 41 and 46 of the mesh type touch panel sensor 30, the decrease in the capacitance of the protective cover 12 due to the adoption of the synthetic resin, This can be compensated by improving the electric resistance values of the detection patterns 41 and 46.

  Hereinafter, an example of the detection patterns 41 and 46 of the mesh type touch panel sensor 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 4. 3A is a plan view showing a case where the first detection pattern 41 in a portion surrounded by a one-dot chain line denoted by reference numeral III in FIG. 2 is viewed from the observer side, and FIG. 3B is a reference numeral in FIG. It is a top view which shows the case where the 2nd detection pattern 46 in the part enclosed with the dashed-dotted line to which III was attached | subjected was seen from the observer side, ie, the case where the 2nd detection pattern 46 was seen through the base material 32. . FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the touch panel sensor 30 including the first detection pattern 41 and the second detection pattern 46.

(First detection pattern)
First, the first detection pattern 41 will be described. In the present embodiment, the first detection pattern 41 is a first conductive wire 51 having light shielding properties and conductivity, and is arranged in a mesh shape so that an opening 51 a is formed between the first conductive wires 51. The first conducting wire 51 is used. Similarly, the second detection pattern 46 is a second conductive wire 56 having light shielding properties and conductivity, and the second conductive wire is arranged in a mesh shape so that an opening 56 a is formed between the second conductive wires 56. 56. As shown in FIG. 4, each of the first conductive wire 51 and the second conductive wire 56 includes a metal layer made of a metal material. In addition, the metal layer which comprises the 1st conducting wire 51 and the 2nd conducting wire 56 may be given the blackening process etc. for suppressing the reflection of the light in the surface.

  The ratio of the area occupied by the opening 51a (hereinafter referred to as the aperture ratio) in the entire area of the first detection pattern 41 is sufficiently high, so that the image light from the display device 15 can be touched with an appropriate transmittance. As long as it can pass through the active area Aa1 of the sensor 30, the size and shape of the first conducting wire 51 are not particularly limited. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 3A, the first detection pattern 41 is configured by arranging the first conductive wires 51 formed in a diamond shape along the first direction D1. In this case, the first conducting wire 51 is configured such that the inner angle that is an acute angle among the inner angles of the rhombus is aligned along the first direction D1. The range of the aperture ratio is appropriately set according to the characteristics of the image light emitted from the display device 15. In FIG. 3A, the width of the first detection pattern 41 is represented by a symbol W1, and the interval between two adjacent first detection patterns 41 is represented by a symbol S1.

  The line width of the first conducting wire 51 is set according to the required aperture ratio and the like. For example, the width of the first conducting wire 51 is set within a range of 1 to 10 μm, more preferably within a range of 2 to 7 μm. Yes. Thereby, the influence which the 1st conducting wire 51 has with respect to the image | video which an observer visually recognizes can be made low to a negligible level. Although the thickness of the 1st conducting wire 51 is suitably set according to the electrical resistance value calculated | required with respect to the 1st detection pattern 41, it exists in the range of 0.1-0.5 micrometer, for example.

(Second detection pattern)
As in the case of the first conductor 51, the second conductor 56 also has the second conductor 56 as long as the ratio of the area occupied by the opening 56 a in the entire area of the second detection pattern 46 can be sufficiently secured. The size and shape of 56 are not particularly limited. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 3B, the second detection pattern 46 is configured by arranging the second conductive wires 56 formed in a diamond shape along the second direction D2. In this case, the 2nd conducting wire 56 is comprised so that the internal angle which becomes an obtuse angle among the internal angles of a rhombus may line up along the 2nd direction D2. In FIG. 3B, the width of the second detection pattern 46 is represented by a symbol W2, and the interval between two adjacent second detection patterns 46 is represented by a symbol S2.

(Frame wiring and terminal part)
The first frame wiring 44a and the first terminal portion 44b connected to the first detection pattern 41, and the second frame wiring 49a and the second terminal portion 49b connected to the second detection pattern 46 are first detected. This is provided to extract signals from the pattern 41 and the second detection pattern 46 to the outside of the touch panel sensor 30. As long as signals can be appropriately transmitted, the specific configurations of the first frame wiring 44a and the first terminal portion 44b, the second frame wiring 49a and the second terminal portion 49b are not particularly limited. For example, the first frame wiring 44 a and the first terminal portion 44 b may be formed at the same time as the first conducting wire 51 with the same layer configuration as the first conducting wire 51. Similarly, the second frame wiring 49 a and the second terminal portion 49 b may be formed at the same time as the second conducting wire 56 with the same layer configuration as the second conducting wire 56.

  2 to 4, the first detection pattern 41, the first frame wiring 44a, and the first terminal portion 44b are provided on the first surface 32a side of the substrate 32, and the second detection pattern 46 and the second frame wiring are provided. Although the example in which 49a and the 2nd terminal part 49b were provided in the 2nd surface 32b side of the base material 32 was shown, they are not restricted to this, They are the 1st surface 32a of the base material 32, or the 2nd surface 32b. It may be provided in either one.

  According to this Embodiment, the protective cover 12 is comprised from the plastic molding. For this reason, the curved surface 13a can be easily provided in the protective cover 12, and thereby the design of the touch panel device 20 and the display device 10 with a touch position detection function can be improved. According to the embodiment, the detection patterns 41 and 46 of the touch panel sensor 30 are configured by arranging a plurality of conductive wires made of a metal material having light shielding properties and conductivity in a mesh shape. Therefore, the electrical resistance values of the detection patterns 41 and 46 can be reduced as compared with a touch panel sensor of a type in which the detection pattern is configured by a transparent conductive material such as ITO. For this reason, the tolerance of the touch panel sensor 30 against noise can be increased, and thereby the detection sensitivity can be improved. Therefore, by configuring the protective cover 12 with a plastic molded body, it is possible to maintain a desired detection sensitivity even when the capacitance is lower than that of a glass-type protective cover.

  Note that various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment. Hereinafter, some modifications will be described with reference to the drawings as necessary. In the following description and the drawings used in the following description, the same reference numerals as those used for the corresponding parts in the above embodiment are used for the parts that can be configured in the same manner as in the above embodiment. A duplicate description is omitted. In addition, when it is clear that the operational effects obtained in the above-described embodiment can be obtained in the modified example, the description thereof may be omitted.

(Modification of protective cover)
In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the first surface 12a of the protective cover 12 includes the curved surface 13a has been described. However, the shape applied to the first surface 12a of the protective cover 12 is not limited to the curved surface 13a, and various shapes can be used depending on the design required for the touch panel device 20 and the display device 10 with a touch position detection function. Can be applied to the first surface 12 a of the protective cover 12. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the first surface 12a of the protective cover 12 includes a flat surface 13b including the central portion of the protective cover 12, and an inclined surface inclined toward the touch panel sensor 30 as it goes outward from the outer edge of the flat surface 13b. 13c may be included. Also in the modification shown in FIG. 7, the thickness T <b> 2 of the end 12 d of the protective cover 12 is smaller than the thickness T <b> 1 of the central portion of the protective cover 12. Preferably, also in this modification, the thickness T3 of the protective cover 12 at the position corresponding to the boundary between the active area Aa1 and the non-active area Aa2 of the touch panel sensor 30 is equal to the thickness T1 of the central portion of the protective cover 12. It is in the range of 50 to 80%.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the thickness T2 of the end portion 12d of the protective cover 12 is smaller than the thickness T1 of the central portion of the protective cover 12 is shown. However, according to the present embodiment, by forming the protective cover 12 as a plastic molded body, the thickness T1 of the central portion of the protective cover 12 becomes different from the thickness T2 of the end portion 12d of the protective cover 12. The protective cover 12 can have various shapes. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the thickness T2 of the end 12d of the protective cover 12 may be larger than the thickness T1 of the central portion of the protective cover 12. Specifically, the first surface 12a of the protective cover 12 may include a curved surface 13d that is recessed toward the touch panel sensor 30 side. In this modification as well, as in the case of the above-described embodiment, the detection patterns 41 and 46 are made of a metal material. For this reason, the desired detection sensitivity in the touch panel sensor 30 can be maintained.

  In the present modification, preferably, the thickness T3 of the protective cover 12 at the position corresponding to the boundary between the active area Aa1 and the non-active area Aa2 of the touch panel sensor 30 is 100 to the thickness T1 of the central portion of the protective cover 12. It is within the range of 200%. By setting the thickness T3 in this way, the capacitance between the outer conductor and the detection patterns 41 and 46 in the central portion of the active area Aa1, and the outer conductor and the detection pattern 41 in the vicinity of the outer edge of the active area Aa1. , 46 can be prevented from becoming too large. As a result, the detection sensitivity of the touch position can be suppressed from varying depending on the position.

(Modification of detection pattern)
In the present embodiment described above, an example in which a plurality of first detection patterns 41 and a plurality of second detection patterns 46 each having a certain pattern width are arranged is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the pattern widths of the plurality of first detection patterns 41 and the plurality of second detection patterns 46 may be appropriately adjusted according to the positions on the substrate 32. For example, when the thickness of the protective cover 12 varies depending on the position, the capacitance between the outer conductor and the detection patterns 41 and 46 also varies depending on the position. As a result, the detection sensitivity of the touch position can vary depending on the position. The pattern widths of the plurality of first detection patterns 41 and the plurality of second detection patterns 46 may be adjusted according to the thickness of the protective cover 12 so as to suppress such variation in detection sensitivity.

(Modified example of base material of touch panel sensor)
In the present embodiment and the modification described above, the detection patterns 41 and 46, the frame wirings 44a and 49a, and the terminal portions 44b and 49b of the touch panel sensor 30 are provided on the base material 32 provided separately from the protective cover 12. An example of arrangement is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and although not shown, the detection patterns 41 and 46, the frame wirings 44a and 49a, and the terminal portions 44b and 49b may be disposed on the second surface 12b of the protective cover 12. Since the base material 32 becomes unnecessary by this, the thickness of the touch panel apparatus 20 and the display apparatus 10 with a touch position detection function can be reduced by the thickness of the base material 32.

  In addition, although some modified examples with respect to the above-described embodiment have been described, naturally, a plurality of modified examples can be applied in combination as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Display apparatus with a touch position detection function 12 Protective cover 12a 1st surface 12b 2nd surface 13a Curved surface 13b Flat surface 13c Inclined surface 13d Curved surface 15 Display device 20 Touch panel device 30 Touch panel sensor 32 Base material 41 1st detection pattern 46 1st 2 detection patterns

Claims (7)

A touch panel device comprising a touch panel sensor and a protective cover disposed on an observer side of the touch panel sensor,
The touch panel sensor
A substrate including an active area corresponding to an area where a touch position can be detected, and an inactive area located around the active area;
A detection pattern arranged in the active area;
A frame wiring disposed in the inactive area and electrically connected to the detection pattern,
The protective cover includes a first surface on the viewer side and a flat second surface on the touch panel sensor side,
The protective cover is composed of a plastic molded body,
The first surface of the protective cover is configured such that the thickness of the end portion of the protective cover is different from the thickness of the central portion of the protective cover;
The detection pattern of the touch panel sensor is a touch panel device configured by arranging a plurality of conductive wires having light shielding properties and conductivity in a mesh shape. The first surface of the protective cover is configured such that the thickness of the end portion of the protective cover is smaller than the thickness of the central portion of the protective cover,
The touch panel device according to claim 1, wherein the first surface of the protective cover includes a curved surface that is convex toward the viewer side. The first surface of the protective cover is configured such that the thickness of the end portion of the protective cover is smaller than the thickness of the central portion of the protective cover,
The first surface of the protective cover includes a flat surface including a central portion of the protective cover, and an inclined surface that is inclined toward the touch panel sensor as it goes outward from an outer edge of the flat surface. The touch panel device described.   The thickness of the protective cover at a position corresponding to the boundary between the active area and the inactive area of the touch panel sensor is in a range of 50 to 80% of the thickness of the central portion of the protective cover. The touch panel device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The first surface of the protective cover is configured such that the thickness of the end portion of the protective cover is greater than the thickness of the central portion of the protective cover,
The touch panel device according to claim 1, wherein the first surface of the protective cover includes a curved surface recessed toward the touch panel sensor side.   The touch panel device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the protective cover includes an acrylic resin, a polycarbonate resin, a polyethylene terephthalate resin, or a laminate thereof. A display device;
A touch panel sensor disposed on a display surface of the display device;
A protective cover disposed on the observer side of the touch panel sensor,
The touch panel sensor
A substrate including an active area corresponding to an area where a touch position can be detected, and an inactive area located around the active area;
A detection pattern arranged in the active area;
A frame wiring disposed in the inactive area and electrically connected to the detection pattern,
The protective cover includes a first surface on the viewer side and a flat second surface on the touch panel sensor side,
The protective cover is composed of a plastic molded body,
The first surface of the protective cover is configured such that the thickness of the end portion of the protective cover is different from the thickness of the central portion of the protective cover;
The display device with a touch position detection function, wherein the detection pattern of the touch panel sensor is configured by arranging a plurality of conductive wires having light shielding properties and conductivity in a mesh shape.

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