JP2007199893A - Touch panel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a touch panel to be used for various electronic equipment which is excellent in visibility and operability. <P>SOLUTION: An upper substrate 11 is provided with a tongue piece section 11A projecting to the outside, and the end section of a wiring pattern 7 of a wiring board 6 is connected to the end section of an upper electrode 13A extended to the tongue piece section 11A so that the upper substrate 11 can be heated/pressurized only in the narrow place of the tongue piece section 11A when the wiring board 6 is connected. Thus, it is possible to prevent the generation of any fine wrinkle or the like on the upper substrate 11 in the neighborhood, and to obtain a touch panel which is excellent in visibility and operability. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch panel used mainly for operating various electronic devices.

  In recent years, as various electronic devices such as mobile phones and car navigation systems become more sophisticated and diversified, a light-transmissive touch panel is mounted on the front surface of a display element such as a liquid crystal display, and the display element on the back side is displayed through this touch panel. There is an increasing number of devices that switch each function of a device by pressing the touch panel with a finger or a pen while visually recognizing, and there is a demand for a device that has excellent visibility and reliable operation.

  Such a conventional touch panel will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In addition, in order to make the structure easy to understand, the drawing shows an enlarged dimension in the thickness direction.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional touch panel, and FIG. 6 is a plan view. In FIG. 5, 1 is a film-like and light-transmissive upper substrate, 2 is a light-transmissive lower substrate, and The lower substrate 2 is formed to have substantially the same size, and a light-transmissive upper conductive layer 3 such as indium tin oxide is formed on the lower surface of the upper substrate 1, and a lower conductive layer 4 is also formed on the upper surface of the lower substrate 2. Is formed.

  A plurality of dot spacers (not shown) are formed on the upper surface of the lower conductive layer 4 by an insulating resin at predetermined intervals, and a pair of upper electrodes 3A such as silver are formed at both ends of the upper conductive layer 3 At both ends of the conductive layer 4, a pair of lower electrodes 4A perpendicular to the upper electrode 3A is formed.

  Reference numeral 5 denotes a substantially frame-like spacer formed on the outer periphery of the lower surface of the upper substrate 1 or the upper surface of the lower substrate 2, and an adhesive layer (not shown) applied and formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the spacer 5 The outer periphery of the lower substrate 2 is bonded, and the upper conductive layer 3 and the lower conductive layer 4 are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap.

  Furthermore, 6 is a film-like wiring board. A plurality of wiring patterns 7 and 8 such as copper and silver are formed on the upper and lower surfaces, and the entire surface other than the left and right ends of the wiring patterns 7 and 8 is film-like. Is covered with a cover sheet (not shown).

  The left end of the wiring substrate 6 is sandwiched between the upper end of the upper substrate 1 and the lower end of the lower substrate 2, and the lower surface of the upper substrate 1 and the lower substrate are separated by an anisotropic conductive adhesive 9 in which conductive particles are dispersed in a synthetic resin. (2) The ends of the upper electrode 3A and the lower electrode 4A extending to the right end of the upper surface and the left ends of the wiring patterns 7 and 8 are each adhesively connected to form a touch panel.

  The touch panel thus configured is placed on the front surface of the liquid crystal display element or the like and attached to the electronic device, and the wiring board 6 is bent downward so that the right ends of the wiring patterns 7 and 8 are connected connectors. Alternatively, it is connected to an electronic circuit (not shown) of the device by soldering or the like.

  In the above configuration, when the upper surface of the upper substrate 1 is pressed with a finger or a pen while visually recognizing the display of the liquid crystal display element on the back of the touch panel, the upper substrate 1 bends and the upper conductive layer 3 at the pressed position is the lower conductive layer. Contact layer 4.

  Then, a voltage is sequentially applied from the electronic circuit to the upper electrode 3A, the lower electrode 4A, both ends of the upper conductive layer 3 and both ends of the lower conductive layer 4 in a direction orthogonal to the upper electrode 3A and the lower electrode 4A via the plurality of wiring patterns 7 and 8 on the wiring board 6. The electronic circuit detects the pressed position by these voltage ratios, and various functions of the device are switched.

  When manufacturing such a touch panel, the upper substrate 1 and the lower substrate 2 having approximately the same size are bonded together by the spacer 5, and then the upper substrate 3A and the lower electrode 4A end portions are extended. The left end of the wiring substrate 6 is sandwiched between 1 and the right end of the lower substrate 2, and the plurality of wiring patterns 7 and 8 are aligned and arranged so as to overlap the plurality of upper electrodes 3A and lower electrodes 4A.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the pressure contact portion A is heated and pressed from the upper surface of the upper substrate 1 and the lower surface of the lower substrate 2 with a jig or the like, and the end portions of the upper electrode 3A and the lower electrode 4A with the anisotropic conductive adhesive 9 The left ends of the wiring patterns 7 and 8 are bonded and connected to complete the touch panel to which the wiring board 6 is connected.

As prior art document information related to the invention of this application, for example, Patent Document 1 is known.
JP 2003-58319 A

  However, in the above-described conventional touch panel, when the wiring board 6 is connected, the entire pressure contact portion A between the upper end of the upper board 1 and the lower board 2 is heated and pressed from above and below, so that the upper board 1 has a thin film shape. 6, depending on the heating temperature, time and pressure, as shown in FIG. 6, there is a problem that fine wrinkles B are formed on the upper substrate 1 in the vicinity thereof, which may impair visibility.

  The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel with excellent visibility and easy operation.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a tongue piece projecting outward on the upper substrate, and connects the wiring pattern end of the wiring substrate to the upper electrode end extended to the tongue piece. When the wiring board is connected, the upper board is heated and pressurized only in a narrow part of the tongue piece portion. It is possible to obtain a touch panel with excellent visibility and easy operation.

  As described above, according to the present invention, an advantageous effect that a touch panel with good visibility and easy operation can be realized.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In addition, in order to make the structure easy to understand, the drawing shows an enlarged dimension in the thickness direction.

  Further, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those described in the background art section, and the detailed description will be simplified.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, in which 11 is a film such as polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate and is an optically transparent upper substrate, 2 is glass Alternatively, a light-transmissive lower substrate such as acrylic or polycarbonate, a light-transmissive upper conductive layer 13 such as indium tin oxide or tin oxide on the lower surface of the upper substrate 11, and a lower conductive layer on the upper surface of the lower substrate 2. 4 are formed by sputtering or the like.

  A plurality of dot spacers (not shown) are formed on the upper surface of the lower conductive layer 4 by an insulating resin such as epoxy or silicon at a predetermined interval, and a pair of silver or carbon is formed at both ends of the upper conductive layer 13. A pair of lower electrodes 4A in the direction orthogonal to the upper electrode is formed at both ends of the lower conductive layer 4 of the upper electrode 13A.

  The upper substrate 11 is formed with a right end slightly smaller than the lower substrate 2 and provided with a tongue piece portion 11A protruding outward, and the upper electrode 13A end portion is provided on the lower surface of the tongue piece portion 11A. An end portion of the lower electrode 4A extends to the right end of the upper surface of the lower substrate 2.

  Reference numeral 5 denotes a substantially frame-like spacer such as nonwoven fabric or polyester, which is formed on the outer periphery of the lower surface of the upper substrate 11 or the upper surface of the lower substrate 2, and is formed by an adhesive layer (not shown) applied and formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the spacer 5. The outer peripheries of the upper substrate 11 and the lower substrate 2 are bonded together, and the upper conductive layer 13 and the lower conductive layer 4 are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap.

  Further, reference numeral 6 denotes a film-like wiring board such as polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate. A plurality of wiring patterns 7 and 8 such as copper, silver, and carbon are formed on the upper and lower surfaces, and the left and right sides of the wiring patterns 7 and 8 are also formed. The entire surface other than the edges is covered with a film-like cover sheet (not shown).

  Reference numeral 9 denotes an anisotropic conductive adhesive in which conductive particles obtained by applying gold plating to nickel or a resin are dispersed in a synthetic resin such as polyester or chloroprene rubber. The left end of the wiring substrate 6 with the left end sandwiched between the piece 11A and the right end of the lower substrate 2 and the end portions of the upper electrode 13A and the lower electrode 4A are bonded and connected to form a touch panel. Has been.

  When the touch panel having such a configuration is manufactured, first, the left ends of the upper substrate 11 and the lower substrate 2 are aligned, and these are bonded together by the spacer 5, and then the tongue piece portion 11A of the upper substrate 11 and the lower substrate are combined. Between the two right ends, the left end of the wiring board 6 is sandwiched, and the plurality of wiring patterns 7 and 8 are aligned and arranged so as to overlap the plurality of upper electrodes 13A and the lower electrodes 4A.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the press contact portion A is heated and pressed on the upper surface of the tongue portion 11 </ b> A of the upper substrate 11, the upper surface of the wiring substrate 6 on which the wiring pattern 8 is formed, and the lower surface of the lower substrate 2 with a jig or the like. The end portions of the upper electrode 13A and the lower electrode 4A and the left ends of the wiring patterns 7 and 8 are bonded and connected with the anisotropic conductive adhesive 9 to complete the touch panel to which the wiring substrate 6 is connected.

  At this time, the upper substrate 11 is heated and pressurized only in a relatively narrow portion of the tongue piece portion 11A, and the entire press-contact portion A at the right end of the upper substrate 11 is not heated and pressurized. Adhesive connection between the end portion of the electrode 13A and the wiring pattern 7 is performed.

  That is, even when a thin film-like material is used for the upper substrate 11, when the wiring substrate 6 is connected, the upper substrate 11 is heated and pressurized only in a narrow portion of only the tongue portion 11 </ b> A. Even if the temperature, time, and pressure are slightly increased, it is possible to prevent the generation of fine wrinkles or the like on the upper substrate 11 in the vicinity thereof.

  The touch panel thus configured is placed on the front surface of the liquid crystal display element or the like and attached to the electronic device, and the wiring board 6 is bent downward so that the right ends of the wiring patterns 7 and 8 are connected connectors. Alternatively, it is connected to an electronic circuit (not shown) of the device by soldering or the like.

  In the above configuration, when the upper surface of the upper substrate 11 is pressed with a finger or a pen while visually recognizing the display of the liquid crystal display element on the back surface of the touch panel, the upper substrate 11 is bent, and the upper conductive layer 13 at the pressed position is the lower conductive layer. Contact layer 4.

  Then, a voltage is sequentially applied from the electronic circuit to the upper electrode 13A and the lower electrode 4A, both ends of the upper conductive layer 13 and both ends of the lower conductive layer 4 in a direction orthogonal to the upper electrode 13A and the lower electrode 4A via the plurality of wiring patterns 7 and 8 of the wiring board 6. The electronic circuit detects the pressed position by these voltage ratios, and various functions of the device are switched.

  At this time, as described above, the upper substrate 11 does not have fine wrinkles or the like that impair the visibility. It has become possible.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the upper substrate 11 is provided with the tongue piece portion 11A protruding outward, and the wiring of the wiring board 6 is provided at the end of the upper electrode 13A extended to the tongue piece portion 11A. By connecting the wiring board 6 by connecting the ends of the pattern 7, the upper board 11 is heated and pressurized only in a narrow portion of the tongue piece 11A. A touch panel that is excellent in visibility and easy to operate can be obtained by preventing generation of fine wrinkles and the like.

  Further, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 and the plan view of FIG. 4, the tongue piece 11B of the upper substrate 11 protrudes outward from the right end of the lower substrate 2, and the upper electrode 13A on the lower surface of the tongue piece 11B. If the end portion and the left end of the wiring pattern 7 are adhesively connected, the heat and pressure applied to the tongue piece portion 11B are more difficult to be transmitted to the upper substrate 11 when the wiring substrate 6 is connected. It is possible to more reliably prevent the occurrence of the above.

  In the above description, the configuration in which the plurality of wiring patterns 7 and 8 are formed on the entire upper and lower surfaces of the wiring board 6 has been described. However, the wiring pattern on the right end is arranged on either the upper or lower surface by through holes such as silver. As provided, the present invention can be implemented.

  The touch panel according to the present invention has an advantageous effect that it is possible to obtain a display having excellent visibility and easy operation, and is useful for operation of various electronic devices.

Sectional drawing of the touchscreen by one embodiment of this invention Plan view Sectional view according to another embodiment Plan view Cross-sectional view of a conventional touch panel Plan view

Explanation of symbols

2 Lower substrate 4 Lower conductive layer 4A Lower electrode 5 Spacer 6 Wiring substrate 7, 8 Wiring pattern 9 Anisotropic conductive adhesive 11 Upper substrate 11A, 11B Tongue piece 13 Upper conductive layer 13A Upper electrode

Claims (1)

A light transmissive upper substrate on which an upper conductive layer and an upper electrode extending from both ends of the upper conductive layer are formed on the lower surface; a lower conductive layer facing the upper conductive layer with a predetermined gap on the upper surface; and The lower conductive layer has a light-transmitting lower substrate on which lower electrodes extending from both ends in the orthogonal direction are formed, and a plurality of wiring pattern ends formed on at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface A touch panel comprising a wiring board connected to the upper electrode and the lower electrode end, provided with a tongue piece projecting outwardly on the upper board, and extending the upper electrode end to the tongue piece .

Images