JP2001067184A - Electrode member with spacer, its manufacturing method and touch panel using the member - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stabilize the shape of a spacer, to obtain a high aspect ratio and to improve production efficiency. SOLUTION: A spacer-attached electrode member 10 is provided with two electrode films 11, 12 having patterned transparent and conductive electrode faces 11a, 12a and a spacer 13 formed on the electrode face 11a of the film 11 and respective electrode faces 11a, 12a are mutually opposed through the spacer 13. The ratio of the diameter of a cross section of the spacer 13 to the height is >=1.2, the diameter of the single spacer 13 is <=50 μm and the spacer 13 is formed by a ionizing radiation curing resin.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrode member with a spacer, a method for manufacturing the same, and a touch panel using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A touch panel is a transparent switch for detecting the position of a touch panel, such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display device, when the screen is touched with a finger. This touch panel can be used for automatic cash withdrawal machines (ATM) at banks,
In addition to OA equipment such as word processors and facsimile machines, it is widely used for train and aircraft seat reservation terminals.

[0003] A touch resistive type touch panel has two electrode films each having a transparent conductive electrode surface (conductive surface) which is etched into a strip shape, and one of the electrode films. And a dot-like spacer which is a green body, and the respective electrode surfaces are opposed to each other via the spacer.

The touch panel has flexibility and partially deforms when the electrode film on the movable side is made of a plastic film when partially pressed by a finger. Partially electrically connected, and the electrode part is transparent, and a set of minute points called spacers is used as a separator, so there is no presence and the advantage that transparency is not impaired. is there.

In manufacturing such a touch panel, the etching of the electrode surface uses a mask etching method, and the conductive members and spacers for connecting the electrodes are formed by a silk screen printing method.

[0006]

However, in the above-described conventional electrode member with spacer, since the spacer is formed by the screen printing method, (1) the spacer shape is unstable depending on printing conditions; The spacer has a low aspect ratio (diameter to height ratio) cross section,
There were problems such as low reliability as a switch, and (3) poor production efficiency due to single-wafer work.

An object of the present invention is to provide a spacer-equipped electrode member having a stable spacer shape, a high aspect ratio, and high production efficiency, a method of manufacturing the same, and a touch panel using the same.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 comprises two electrode films (11, 12) each having a patterned transparent conductive electrode surface;
A spacer (13) formed on one of the electrode surfaces of the electrode film;
In the electrode member with a spacer in which the respective electrode surfaces are opposed to each other, the spacer has a diameter-to-height ratio of 1: 2 or more in cross section, and the diameter of a single spacer is 50 μm.
m or less, and is an electrode member with a spacer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the electrode member with the spacer according to the first aspect, the spacer is formed of an ionizing radiation curable resin.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device for displaying an image, and the electrode member with a spacer according to the first or second aspect disposed on the display device.
A touch panel comprising:

A fourth aspect of the present invention is the touch panel according to the third aspect, further comprising an antiglare layer (22) disposed on a surface of the electrode member with spacer.

[0012] The invention of claim 5 is the invention of claim 1 or claim 2.
In the method for manufacturing an electrode member with a spacer according to the above, in the manufacturing method of the electrode member with a spacer, the shape of the spacer is the same shape, the roll intaglio in which the recesses of the reverse unevenness are formed is rotated, at least the recesses of the roll intaglio A filling step (# 101) of filling the ionizing radiation-curable resin, and an electrode running in synchronization with the rotation direction of the roll intaglio with respect to the ionizing radiation-curable resin filled in the roll intaglio in the filling step. A contact step (# 102) of bringing the electrode surface side of the film substrate into contact with the roll intaglio side, and while the electrode film substrate is in contact with the roll intaglio in the contact step, the roll intaglio and the A curing step (# 103) of irradiating the ionizing radiation-curable resin between the electrode film base materials with ionizing radiation and curing, and the ionization curing in the curing step An adhesion step (# 104) for bringing the radiation-curable resin and the electrode film substrate into close contact with each other, and a cured product of the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid and the electrode film substrate peeled off from the roll intaglio in the adhesion step. This is a method for manufacturing an electrode member with a spacer including a peeling step (# 105).

[0013]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
An embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of an electrode member with a spacer and a touch panel using the same according to the present invention.
The electrode member with spacer 10 of this embodiment has a patterned transparent conductive electrode surface 11a, 12a.
The electrode films 11 and 12 include a plurality of electrode films 11 and 12, a spacer 13 formed on the electrode surface 11 a side of the electrode film 11, a base film 14 supporting the electrode films 11 and 12, and the like. Is one in which the electrode surfaces 11a and 12a are opposed to each other via a spacer 13.

Here, the transparent resin film serving as the base material of the electrode films 11 and 12 is made of triacetyl cellulose (T
AC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), diacetyl cellulose, acetate butyrate cellulose,
Polyether sulfone, polyacrylic resin, polyurethane resin, polyester, polycarbonate, polysulfone, polyether, polymethylpentene, polyetherketone, (meth) acrylonitrile, and the like can be used.

The material of the transparent conductive electrode surface is, for example, indium tin oxide thin film (ITO) or gold (Au).
Examples of the formation method include sputtering evaporation and EB vacuum evaporation.

The spacer 13 has a cross section having a diameter φ to height h ratio of 1: 2 or more, and has a single diameter φ of 50 μm.
m or less.

As will be described later, the spacer 13
It is formed of an ionizing radiation curable resin that is cured by ionizing radiation such as ultraviolet rays or electron beams.

The ionizing radiation curable resin is, for example, Z
9009 [manufactured by JSR Corporation]. In addition, the production of the plate for forming the above-mentioned shape, for example, on a copper cylinder surface,
It may be formed into a predetermined shape by an NC lathe, laser plate making, helio processing, electroforming, or the like, and may be subjected to chrome plating or the like as necessary.

The touch panel 20 includes a display device 21 such as a CRT or an LCD for displaying images, and a display device 21
An electrode member with a spacer 10 disposed thereon, an anti-glare sheet 22 and the like disposed on the surface of the electrode member with a spacer 10 are provided.

The anti-glare sheet 22 is disposed on the spacer-equipped electrode member 10 with a spacer 26 interposed therebetween. Therefore, an air layer 27 is formed between the spacer-equipped electrode member 10 and the anti-glare sheet 22. This anti-glare sheet 2
2 is a transparent substrate layer 23 and an antiglare layer 24 formed on one surface (upper surface) of the transparent substrate layer 23 and having excellent diffusion and antiglare properties.
Is formed on the other surface (lower surface) of the transparent base material layer 23, and external light is reflected at the interface between the back surface and the air layer 27 (back surface reflection).
And an anti-reflection layer 25 for preventing the occurrence of light.

FIG. 2 is a process diagram showing an embodiment of a method for manufacturing an electrode member with a spacer according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a manufacturing apparatus for performing the method for manufacturing an electrode member with a spacer according to this embodiment. is there.

The method of manufacturing the electrode member with spacer according to this embodiment includes a filling step # 101, a contacting step # 102,
Curing step # 103, adhesion step # 104, and peeling step #
105 and the like.

In the filling step # 101, the roll intaglio 31 having the same shape as the spacer 13 and having the concave and convex concave portions 31a formed thereon is rotated. This is a step of filling the ultraviolet curable resin 40.

In the contact step # 102, the ultraviolet curable resin 40 filled in the roll intaglio 31 in the filling step # 101 runs (arrow B) in synchronization with the rotation direction of the roll intaglio 31 (arrow A). Electrode surface 11 of electrode film substrate 11
This is a step of bringing the a side into contact with the roll intaglio 31 using the roller 33.

In the curing step # 103, while the electrode film substrate 11 is in contact with the roll intaglio 31 in the contact step # 102, the ultraviolet curable resin 40 between the roll intaglio 31 and the electrode film substrate 11 is This is a step of irradiating and curing ultraviolet rays using the ultraviolet irradiation device 34.

The adhesion step # 104 includes the step of curing the ultraviolet curing resin 40 and the electrode film substrate 11 in the curing step # 103.
Is a step of bringing the two into close contact using the contact roller 35.

The peeling step # 105 is a step of peeling the cured product 41 of the ultraviolet curable resin liquid 40 and the electrode film substrate 11 adhered in the contacting step # 104 from the roll intaglio 31 using the peeling roller 36. .

As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the spacer 13 is formed on the electrode film 11 by roll printing using the roll intaglio 31 having the concave portion 31a, any spacer shape (particularly, high aspect ratio) can be obtained. Can be manufactured stably without any in-plane variation. In addition, since continuous molding is performed by the roll intaglio 31 using the ultraviolet ray-curable resin liquid 40, the effect of high production efficiency can be obtained.

[0029]

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific examples. (Example) (1) The electrode film substrate 11 is a transparent conductive film [T-COAT F type F-125, Teijin Limited]
Manufactured) to produce a winding roll on which a desired electrode pattern has been formed. (2) As a resin liquid for forming the spacer 13, an ultraviolet curable resin [XD-808, manufactured by Dainichi Seika Kogyo Co., Ltd.] was used.

(3) In order for the roll intaglio 31 to have a desired spacer shape of a cylindrical shape having a diameter φ = 25 μm and a height h = 70 μm, the surface of a concave portion 31 a having the same shape and reverse unevenness is plated with copper. It was turned into an iron cylinder. The diameter of the iron cylinder was 30 cm, and after lathing, chrome plating was performed to prevent copper corrosion.

(4) The manufacturing conditions are as follows:
Using a D bulb lamp [manufactured by Fusion]
Irradiation was performed from the transparent conductive film side, and continuous molding was performed in a roll-to-roll manner using a production apparatus as shown in FIG.

According to the manufacturing method of the above embodiment, an electrode member 10 with a spacer for a touch panel having a spacer 13 having a high aspect ratio and having excellent in-plane shape stability was manufactured.

(Comparative Example) (1) The electrode film substrate was a transparent conductive film [T
-COAT F type F-125, manufactured by Teijin Limited]
Etching was performed, a desired electrode pattern was formed, and sheet cutting was performed. (2) As the spacer resin liquid, an ultraviolet curable resin [spacer ink for polyester, manufactured by Jujo Kako Co., Ltd.] was used. (3) As the screen printing plate, a film thickness plate was used. (4) As for the manufacturing conditions, sheet forming was performed on a single wafer using a water-cooled mercury lamp.

In the manufacturing method of the above comparative example, an electrode film having a small aspect ratio and a large variation in spacer shape in a plane was obtained.

[0035]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, since a spacer having a predetermined shape is formed using an ionizing radiation curable resin, the shape of the spacer is stable and a high aspect ratio can be obtained. .

Further, using a roll intaglio having a concave portion,
Since the spacer is formed on the electrode film by roll printing, any spacer shape can be manufactured stably without any in-plane variation. Furthermore, since continuous molding is performed by roll intaglio using ionizing radiation-curable resin,
High production efficiency.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of an electrode member with a spacer and a touch panel using the same according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a process chart showing an embodiment of a method for manufacturing an electrode member with a spacer according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a manufacturing apparatus for performing the method for manufacturing an electrode member with a spacer according to the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electrode member with a spacer 11, 12 Electrode film 11a, 12a Electrode surface 13 Spacer 20 Touch panel 21 Display device 22 Anti-glare layer

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An electrode film comprising: two electrode films each having a patterned transparent conductive electrode surface; and a spacer formed on one of the electrode surfaces of the electrode film. In the electrode member with a spacer in which the respective electrode surfaces are opposed to each other, the spacer has a cross-sectional diameter-to-height ratio of 1: 2 or more, and a single member having a diameter of 50 μm or less; An electrode member with a spacer characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The electrode member with a spacer according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is formed of an ionizing radiation curable resin. 3. A touch panel comprising: a display device for displaying an image; and the electrode member with a spacer according to claim 1 disposed on the display device. 4. The touch panel according to claim 3, further comprising: an antiglare layer disposed on a surface of the electrode member with a spacer. 5. The method for producing an electrode member with a spacer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the roll has the same shape as the spacer, and has a concave and a concave portion with reverse irregularities. Rotating the intaglio, filling the at least concave portions of the roll intaglio with an ionizing radiation-curable resin, and rotating the roll intaglio with respect to the ionizing radiation-curable resin filled in the roll intaglio in the filling step. A contact step of bringing the electrode surface side of the electrode film base material running in synchronization with the direction into contact with the roll intaglio side, while the electrode film base material is in contact with the roll intaglio in the contact step, A curing step of irradiating the ionizing radiation-curable resin between the roll intaglio and the electrode film substrate with ionizing radiation to cure the ionizing radiation-curable resin; and the ionization curing in the curing step. An adhesion step of bringing the radiation-curable resin and the electrode film substrate into close contact with each other, and a peeling step of peeling the electrode film substrate and the cured product of the ionizing radiation-curable resin liquid adhered in the adhesion step from the roll intaglio, A method for producing an electrode member with a spacer, comprising: