JP2010256998A - Touch panel - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a five-line type touch panel which can input a plurality of points. <P>SOLUTION: The touch panel includes an upper electrode substrate having an upper conductive film formed on a first substrate, a lower electrode substrate having a lower conductive film formed on a second substrate, and four electrodes each provided to end of four sides of the lower conductive film for generating potential distribution in the lower conductive film, where the upper conductive film and the lower conductive film are provided to face each other. The upper conductive film includes a plurality of conductive regions which are divided into three portions or more longitudinally and are divided into three portions or more laterally. The conductive region which does not contact any of four sides of the upper electrode substrate includes a led part made of the upper conductive film extending in one of four sides. The touch panel detects each of coordinate positions at a plurality of contact positions of the lower conductive film with the upper conductive film. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch panel.

  The touch panel is an input device that can directly input to the display, and is used by being installed on the front surface of the display. This touch panel is widely used in various applications because it can be directly input based on information visually captured by a display.

  As such a touch panel, a resistance film method is widely known. The resistive film type touch panel is installed so that each transparent conductive film is opposed to each other in the upper electrode substrate and the lower electrode substrate on which the transparent conductive film is formed, and each of the upper electrode substrates is applied with a force. The transparent conductive films are in contact with each other, and the position where the force is applied can be detected.

  Resistive touch panels can be roughly classified into 4-wire type and 5-wire type. In the four-wire system, an X-axis electrode is provided on one of the upper electrode substrate and the lower electrode substrate, and a Y-axis electrode is provided on the other. On the other hand, in the 5-wire system, both the X-axis electrode and the Y-axis electrode are provided on the lower electrode substrate, and the upper electrode substrate functions as a probe for detecting a voltage (for example, Patent Documents). 1, 2).

  Specifically, a 5-wire touch panel will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a 5-wire touch panel, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cross section of the 5-wire touch panel.

  The 5-wire touch panel 200 includes a film 210 having a transparent conductive film 230 formed on one surface serving as an upper electrode substrate and a glass 220 having a transparent conductive film 240 formed on one surface serving as a lower electrode substrate. The transparent conductive film 230 and the transparent conductive film 240 are disposed through the spacer 250 so as to face each other. The 5-wire touch panel 200 and a host computer (not shown) are electrically connected by a cable 260.

  In the 5-wire touch panel 200 having such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 3A, the electrodes 241, 242, 243, and 244 provided on the four sides of the end portion of the transparent conductive film 240 are used in the X-axis direction. As shown in FIG. 3B, the transparent conductive film 230 and the transparent conductive film 240 are contacted at the contact position A, by alternately applying a voltage in the Y-axis direction. In this method, the potential Va is detected, and the respective coordinate positions in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are detected.

  By the way, in the 5-wire touch panel described above, it is possible to detect the contact position at one point, but it is not possible to detect the position when a plurality of points touch at the same time.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 4A, when voltages are applied alternately in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by the electrodes 241, 242, 243, and 244 provided on the four sides of the transparent conductive film 240, When the transparent conductive film 230 and the transparent conductive film 240 are in contact at two points of contact positions A and B, a coordinate position of one point not pressed at an intermediate point between the points A and B is detected. Since this is a position detection method based on potential detection as shown in FIG. 4B, even if contact is made at two points of contact position A and point B, detection is performed via the transparent conductive film 230. This is because it is determined that the contact position is one point because only one potential Vc is applied.

JP 2004-272722 A JP 2008-293129 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and can detect each contact position even when contacting at a plurality of contact positions at the same time, and can detect the position even when the contact position moves. An object of the present invention is to provide a possible touch panel.

  The present invention provides an upper electrode substrate having an upper conductive film formed on a first substrate, a lower electrode substrate having a lower conductive film formed on a second substrate, and a potential distribution in the lower conductive film. In the touch panel, the upper conductive film and the lower conductive film are provided to face each other, the four electrodes provided on the four sides of the lower conductive film, respectively, The conductive film has a plurality of conductive regions that are divided into three or more in the vertical direction and three or more in the horizontal direction, and the conductive region that is not in contact with any of the four sides of the upper electrode substrate is: It has an extraction part made of an upper conductive film extending on one side of the four sides, and detects each coordinate position at a plurality of contact positions of the lower conductive film and the upper conductive film.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that the number of divisions in the smaller direction among the number of divisions of the conductive region in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the upper electrode film is an even number.

  In the present invention, the number of divisions in a small direction among the number of divided conductive regions in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the upper electrode film is 4 or more, and the divided conductive regions are divided. The conductive region that is not adjacent to the side along the large number of directions is provided with the lead-out portion extending to the side along the direction along the large number of divisions.

  In the present invention, the number of divisions is 5 or more, and the conductive region that is not adjacent to the side along the direction in which the number of divisions is large is greater than the conductive region having a long lead portion and the long lead portion. And a conductive region having a short lead portion formed with a short lead portion, wherein the width of the short lead portion is narrower than the width of the long lead portion.

  The present invention also provides an upper electrode substrate having an upper conductive film formed on a first substrate, a lower electrode substrate having a lower conductive film formed on a second substrate, and the lower conductive film. In the touch panel provided with four electrodes respectively provided at the end portions of the four sides of the lower conductive film in order to generate a potential distribution, the upper conductive film and the lower conductive film are provided facing each other, The upper conductive film has a conductor region that is divided into two or more parts in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, and the plurality of conductor regions include a conductor region that is in contact with any one of the four sides of the upper electrode substrate. The conductor region not in contact with the one side, the conductor region not in contact with the one side has a lead portion made of an upper conductive film extending to the one side, and the lower conductive film and the upper part At multiple contact positions with the conductive film Kicking and detecting the coordinate position of each.

  In the present invention, the number of divisions of the conductive region in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the upper electrode film is the same, and one is a direction with a small number of divisions and the other is a direction with a large number of divisions. It is characterized by being.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that in the conductive region not in contact with one side among the four sides of the upper conductive film, two or more lead portions connected to one conductive region are provided.

  In the invention, it is preferable that the conductive region has a rectangular shape or a square shape, and a long side or one side has a length of 25 mm or less.

  In the present invention, the upper conductive film is a transparent conductive film.

  In the present invention, the lower conductive film is a transparent conductive film.

  In the present invention, the upper electrode substrate is characterized in that the upper extraction electrode is connected to a flexible substrate.

  In the present invention, the upper electrode substrate has the upper extraction electrode connected to a flexible substrate, and the lower electrode substrate has a lower extraction electrode connected to the four electrodes, The terminal of the lower extraction electrode and the flexible substrate are connected by thermocompression bonding with an anisotropic conductive material.

  According to the present invention, in the upper electrode substrate, the upper extraction electrode and the flexible substrate are connected by thermocompression bonding with an anisotropic conductive material, and the lower electrode substrate is connected to the four electrodes. A lower lead electrode is formed, and the terminal of the lower lead electrode and the flexible substrate are connected by thermocompression bonding with an anisotropic conductive material.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a touch panel capable of detecting each contact position even when simultaneously contacting at a plurality of contact positions and capable of detecting the position even when the contact position moves. it can.

Perspective view of a conventional 5-wire touch panel Cross-sectional schematic diagram of a conventional 5-wire touch panel Explanatory drawing of the coordinate detection method in the conventional 5-wire type touch panel (1) Explanatory drawing of the coordinate detection method in the conventional 5-wire type touch panel (2) Structural diagram of the upper electrode substrate of the touch panel in the first embodiment Structure diagram of lower electrode substrate of touch panel in first embodiment Sectional drawing of the touchscreen in 1st Embodiment Explanatory drawing of the touch panel in 1st Embodiment Explanatory drawing of the electroconductive area | region of the upper electrode board | substrate of the touchscreen in 1st Embodiment Explanatory drawing of the electroconductive area | region of the upper-electrode board | substrate of the touchscreen in 2nd Embodiment. Explanatory drawing (1) of the electroconductive area | region of the upper-electrode board | substrate of the touchscreen in 3rd Embodiment. Explanatory drawing (2) of the electroconductive area | region of the upper-electrode board | substrate of the touchscreen in 3rd Embodiment. Structural diagram of upper electrode substrate of touch panel in fourth embodiment Structural diagram of lower electrode substrate of touch panel in fourth embodiment Sectional drawing of the touchscreen in 4th Embodiment

  The form for implementing this invention is demonstrated below.

[First Embodiment]
The touch panel in the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a structural diagram of the upper electrode substrate of the touch panel in the present embodiment, FIG. 6 is a structural diagram of the lower electrode substrate of the touch panel in the present embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the touch panel in the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the touch panel in the present embodiment.

  The touch panel in the present embodiment is provided on one surface of a substantially rectangular upper electrode substrate 10 having a transparent conductive film 12 formed on one surface of a film 11 and a glass substrate 21 having substantially the same shape as the upper electrode substrate 10. It is comprised by the lower electrode substrate 20 in which the transparent conductive film 22 was formed.

  The upper electrode substrate 10 and the lower electrode substrate 20 are bonded with an adhesive or a double-sided tape through a spacer 31 or the like so that the transparent conductive film 12 in the upper electrode substrate 10 and the transparent conductive film 22 in the lower electrode substrate 20 face each other. It is joined.

  The transparent conductive film 12 in the upper electrode substrate 10 is divided into four parts in the longitudinal direction, which is the short direction, and eight parts in the transverse direction, which is the longitudinal direction, and the whole is divided into 32 parts. The division of each conductive region of the transparent conductive film 12 is performed by removing the transparent conductive film 12 between the regions to be conductive regions. Thereby, it can electrically insulate between the divided | segmented electrically conductive area | regions. Each divided transparent conductive film 12 is connected to each extraction electrode in the extraction electrode portion 13 provided at both ends in the short direction of the upper electrode substrate 10, and is wired around the upper electrode substrate 10. One end of the upper electrode substrate 10 in the longitudinal direction is connected to the flexible substrate 14.

  Further, the lower electrode substrate 20 is provided with four electrodes 23, 24, 25, and 26 on the transparent conductive film 22 at the ends of the four sides constituting the lower electrode substrate 20, as shown in FIG. These four electrodes 23, 24, 25, and 26 are led out from the periphery of the lower electrode substrate 20 by lead lines, and as shown in FIG. 6, at one end in the longitudinal direction of the lower electrode substrate 20, It is connected.

Both the flexible substrate 14 and the flexible substrate 27 are connected to a control circuit (not shown) and further connected to a host computer (not shown). As the material constituting the transparent conductive film 12 and the transparent conductive film 22, ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) , ZnO material Al or Ga or the like (zinc oxide) is added, Sb or the like SnO ₂ (tin oxide) The material etc. to which was added are mentioned.

The film 11 is made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate: polyethylene).
terephthalate), PC (polycarbonate), and transparent resin materials in the visible region. Further, a resin substrate may be used instead of the glass substrate 21.

  In the touch panel in the present embodiment, the transparent conductive film 12 in the upper electrode substrate 10 and the transparent conductive film 22 in the lower electrode substrate 20 are in contact with each other by pressing the upper electrode substrate 10 with a finger or the like, and the voltage at the contact position is Is detected, a contact position between the upper electrode substrate 10 and the lower electrode substrate 20, that is, a position where the upper electrode substrate 10 is pressed by a finger or the like is specified. Specifically, in the upper electrode substrate 10, each of the divided transparent conductive films 12 is scanned by time division, and the conductive region including the contact position can be specified by the timing of contact. Note that voltages are alternately applied in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by the electrodes 23, 24, 25, and 26 provided on the four sides of the lower electrode substrate 20 on the transparent conductive film 22.

  Thus, by dividing the transparent conductive film 12 and forming the conductive region in the upper electrode substrate 10, even if there are a plurality of contact positions where the upper electrode substrate 10 and the lower electrode substrate 20 are in contact, the divided transparent Since the contact position can be specified for each conductive region of the conductive film 12, each contact position can be detected independently.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 8, there are five contact positions between the transparent conductive film 12 on the upper electrode substrate 10 and the transparent conductive film 22 on the lower electrode substrate 20, as indicated by arrows A, B, C, D, and E. Even in this case, each contact position can be detected independently because each region of the transparent conductive film 12 is different. Specifically, when the contact position between the upper electrode substrate 10 and the lower electrode substrate 20 is the position indicated by the arrow A, the contact is made in the conductive region 12a of the transparent conductive film 12, and the contact position is the position indicated by the arrow B. Is in contact with the conductive region 12b of the transparent conductive film 12, and when the contact position is the position indicated by arrow C, it is in contact with the conductive region 12c of the transparent conductive film 12, and the contact position is in arrow D. Is in contact with the conductive region 12d of the transparent conductive film 12, and when the contact position is the position indicated by arrow E, it is in contact with the conductive region 12e of the transparent conductive film 12. Since the twelve conductive regions 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, and 12e are different regions insulated from each other, each can be detected independently. Therefore, even if there are five contact positions between the upper electrode substrate 10 and the lower electrode substrate 20, each contact position can be specified.

  As described above, even when there are a plurality of contact positions between the transparent conductive film 12 and the transparent conductive film 22, the contacted conductive region can be specified, and the potential distribution in the transparent conductive film 22 can be detected more accurately. The coordinate position can also be detected. Further, even when the contact position between the transparent conductive film 12 and the transparent conductive film 22 is moved, it can be recognized that the contact position has moved, and by detecting the potential distribution in the transparent conductive film 22, It is also possible to detect the position coordinates of the moved contact position.

  Next, the division of the conductive region of the transparent conductive film 12 in the upper electrode substrate 10 will be described. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9A, the transparent conductive film 12 is divided into four in the longitudinal direction, which is the short direction, and eight in the lateral direction, which is the longitudinal direction, for a total of 32 divisions. Has been. These divided areas are divided into two upper stages and two lower stages. As shown in FIG. 5, the upper two stages are connected to the respective extraction electrodes in the extraction electrode section 13 at one end in the short direction (vertical direction) which is the upper end, and the lower two stages are At the other end in the short direction (vertical direction) serving as the lower end, each of the extraction electrodes in the extraction electrode portion 13 is connected. In the touch panel in this embodiment, each conductive region is formed in a rectangular shape or a square shape, and is mainly operated by a finger. Therefore, the long side of the largest conductive region among a plurality of conductive regions is used. Or it is preferable that the length of one side is 25 mm or less, More preferably, it is 20 mm or less. This is based on the thickness of the finger, and even when the fingertip and the fingertip contact at a plurality of contact positions, if the length of one side is shorter than the interval between the fingertip and the fingertip, each contact position is determined. This is because it can be detected independently. For this reason, the range of the length of one side of the conductive region can be determined based on the distance between the human fingertip and the fingertip, comfortable operability, and the like. In addition, if the area is too small, the area of the lead-out portion described later increases and functionally hinders. Therefore, when considering the above viewpoint, the short side or the length of one side in the smallest conductive area among the plurality of conductive areas is 5 mm. The above is preferable, and more preferably 7 mm or more.

  In addition, each conductive area | region in the transparent conductive film 12 is formed by removing the transparent conductive film 12 along the peripheral part of each conductive area | region. Thereby, it is possible to maintain insulation between adjacent conductive regions.

  As a method for removing the transparent conductive film 12, a region where the transparent conductive film 12 is removed is irradiated with laser light, and a portion of the transparent conductive film 12 irradiated with the laser light is removed by heat or ablation. A photoresist pattern is applied on the film 12, and a resist pattern is formed on a region to be a conductive region by exposure and development using an exposure apparatus, and a resist pattern is not formed by dry etching or wet edging. Examples thereof include a method for removing the transparent conductive film 12 in the region, and a method for removing the transparent conductive film 12 by printing an etching paste on the region from which the transparent conductive film 12 is removed. A method of removing the transparent conductive film 12 by laser beam irradiation is preferable.

  In addition, it is preferable that the width | variety of the transparent conductive film 12 removed in order to form an electroconductive area | region is 1 mm or less. In the touch panel, when the width of the conductive region to be formed becomes wide, the undetectable region increases, and the function as the touch panel cannot be sufficiently exhibited. Therefore, what is assumed to contact the touch panel is a finger or a pen, and the tip of the pen has a radius of about 0.8 mm. Therefore, if the width of the region where the transparent conductive film 12 is removed is 1 mm or less This is because it is considered that the function as a touch panel is not hindered. In the present embodiment, the width of the region where the transparent conductive film 12 is removed is about 100 μm in order to enhance the visibility of the touch panel and enhance the function.

  In the touch panel in the present embodiment, in the transparent conductive film 12 in the upper electrode substrate 10, a pattern obtained by inverting the pattern of the conductive region composed of the conductive region 121 and the conductive region 122 is also formed on the upper side, and arranged in the vertical direction. Eight patterns similar to the pattern of the four conductive regions are formed in the horizontal direction.

  FIG. 9B shows an enlarged view of a region surrounded by a broken line in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9B, when one of the two divided portions on the lower side of the transparent conductive film 12 is a conductive region 121 and the other is a conductive region 122, the other conductive region 122 is an upper portion. One of the four sides along the longitudinal direction of the electrode substrate 10 is in contact with one side, and one of the conductive regions 121 is not in contact with one of the four sides of the upper electrode substrate 10 along the longitudinal direction. For this reason, a lead portion 121b extending from the region portion 121a of one conductive region 121 to the end of the side along the longitudinal direction of the upper electrode substrate 10 is formed, and further, a connection portion 121c in contact with the end of this side is formed. The lead portion 121b is formed between two conductive regions that are in contact with the side of the upper electrode substrate 10 along the longitudinal direction. That is, it is formed between the conductive region 122 and the conductive region in contact with the side adjacent to the conductive region 122. Therefore, it is originally formed in a region that becomes the conductive region 122. For this reason, in order to prevent erroneous recognition of the contact position, it is preferable to form the lead-out portion 121b as thin as possible.

  Accordingly, one conductive region 121 can be connected to the extraction electrode 131 at the connection portion 121c, and the other conductive region 122 is connected to the extraction electrode 132 in the vicinity of the end of the side of the upper electrode substrate 10 in the conductive region 122. Can be connected with.

  The connection part 121c of the conductive region 121 and the extraction electrode 131 are connected by forming a silver paste on the connection part 121c. Similarly, the conductive region 122 and the extraction electrode 132 are connected by forming a silver paste on the conductive region 122 at the end of the side of the upper electrode substrate 10. In addition, when a plurality of extraction electrodes 131 and 132 are gathered, the extraction electrode portion 13 shown in FIG. 5 is formed.

[Second Embodiment]
In the second embodiment, the transparent conductive film 12 is divided by a pattern different from the pattern of the conductive region in the first embodiment.

  Specifically, in a part of the lower half region of the upper electrode substrate 10, as shown in FIG. 10, one of the two transparent conductive films 12 divided into a conductive region 123 and the other as a conductive region 124. In this case, the other conductive region 124 is in contact with one of the four sides along the longitudinal direction of the upper electrode substrate 10, and the one conductive region 123 is along the longitudinal direction of the four sides of the upper electrode substrate 10. It does not touch the side. For this reason, lead-out portions 123b and 123c extending from the region portion 123a of one conductive region 123 to the ends of the sides along the longitudinal direction of the four sides of the upper electrode substrate 10 are formed. Further, connection portions 123d and 123e are formed at the ends of the sides of the upper electrode substrate 10 of the lead portions 123b and 123c.

  Accordingly, one conductive region 123 can be connected to the extraction electrode 133 at the connection portions 123d and 123e. Further, the other conductive region 124 can be connected to the extraction electrode 134 in the vicinity of the end of the side of the upper electrode substrate 10 in the conductive region 124. In addition, when a plurality of extraction electrodes 133 and 134 are gathered, the extraction electrode portion 13 shown in FIG. 5 is formed.

  In the present embodiment, it is necessary to form the lead-out portion in the conductive region that is not in contact with the side along the longitudinal direction among the four sides of the upper electrode substrate 10, but it is preferable to form the lead-out portion as thin as possible. However, if the leading portion is made thin, the resistance value between the region portion and the connecting portion is increased. In the present embodiment, it is possible to reduce the resistance value from the region portion to the connection portion by providing the two lead portions 123b and 123c.

  The contents other than the above are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment will be described. The present embodiment has a configuration in which conductive regions to be divided are increased and a configuration in which an extraction electrode is formed on one end side of the four sides of the upper electrode substrate 10.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, a case will be described in which a part of the transparent conductive film 12 is divided into three parts in the upper electrode substrate 10 to form a conductive region 221, a conductive region 222, and a conductive region 223. . In this case, connection electrodes 231, 232, and 233 connected to the conductive region 221, the conductive region 222, and the conductive region 223 are drawn to the side where the conductive region 223 is provided. For this reason, a lead portion 221b extending from the region portion 221a of the conductive region 221 to the end portion on the conductive region 223 side is formed, and further, a connection portion 221c is formed at the end portion of the lead portion 221b on the conductive region 223 side. In addition, a lead portion 222b extending from the region portion 222a of the conductive region 222 to the end portion on the conductive region 223 side is formed, and further, a connection portion 222c is formed on the end portion of the lead portion 222b on the conductive region 223 side.

  Accordingly, the conductive region 221 can be connected to the extraction electrode 231 at the connection portion 221c, the conductive region 222 can be connected to the extraction electrode 232 at the connection portion 222c, and the conductive region 223 is connected to the conductive region 223. It can be connected to the extraction electrode 233 at the end. Here, in order to make the resistance value from the region portion 221a to the connection portion 221c in the conductive region 221 as close as possible to the resistance value from the region portion 222a to the connection portion 222c in the conductive region 222, the width of the lead portion 221b is set to be the lead portion 222b. It is preferable that it is formed wider than the width. In addition, the extraction electrode part 13 shown in FIG. 5 is formed by gathering a plurality of extraction electrodes 231, 232, and 233.

  By providing a pattern obtained by inverting the pattern of the above configuration on the top, the number of divisions of the conductive region in the short direction of the upper electrode substrate 10 can be set to 6, and by arranging these patterns in the longitudinal direction A touch panel with many conductive regions can be obtained.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 12, in the upper electrode substrate 10, a part of the transparent conductive film 12 is divided into four to form a conductive region 224, a conductive region 225, a conductive region 226, and a conductive region 227. I will explain. In this case, connection electrodes 234, 235, 236, and 227 connected to the conductive region 224, the conductive region 225, the conductive region 226, and the conductive region 227 are drawn out to the side where the conductive region 227 is provided. Therefore, a lead portion 224b extending from the region portion 224a of the conductive region 224 to the end portion on the conductive region 227 side is formed, and further, a connection portion 224c is formed at the end portion of the lead portion 224b on the conductive region 227 side. Further, a lead portion 225b extending from the region portion 225a of the conductive region 225 to the end portion on the conductive region 227 side is formed, and a connection portion 225c is formed at the end portion of the lead portion 225b on the conductive region 227 side. In addition, a lead portion 226b extending from the region portion 226a of the conductive region 226 to the end portion on the conductive region 227 side is formed, and a connection portion 226c is formed on the end portion of the lead portion 226b on the conductive region 227 side.

  Accordingly, the conductive region 224 can be connected to the extraction electrode 234 at the connection portion 224c, the conductive region 225 can be connected to the extraction electrode 235 at the connection portion 225c, and the conductive region 226 can be connected to the connection portion 226c. The conductive region 227 can be connected to the extraction electrode 236, and the conductive region 227 can be connected to the extraction electrode 237 at the end of the conductive region 227. Here, the resistance value from the region portion 224a to the connection portion 224c in the conductive region 224, the resistance value from the region portion 225a to the connection portion 225c in the conductive region 225, and the resistance value from the region portion 226a to the connection portion 226c in the conductive region 226. In order to make the resistance value as close as possible, it is preferable that the lead-out part 226b, the lead-out part 225b, and the lead-out part 224b are formed so as to increase in width in this order. Note that a plurality of extraction electrodes 234, 235, 236, and 237 are gathered to form the extraction electrode portion 13 shown in FIG.

  By providing a pattern obtained by inverting the pattern of the above configuration at the top, the number of divisions of the conductive region in the short direction of the upper electrode substrate 10 can be set to 8, and by arranging these patterns in the longitudinal direction A touch panel with many conductive regions can be obtained. Further, even when the number of divisions is further increased, the same method can be used.

  Further, in the case of the configuration shown in FIG. 12, when the number of divisions in the short direction (longitudinal direction) of the upper electrode substrate 10 is 4, the extraction electrode is provided on one side along the longitudinal direction of the upper electrode substrate 10. It is possible to collect. Thus, the structure of the upper electrode substrate 10 can be simplified, and another member or the like can be provided on the other side along the longitudinal direction of the upper electrode substrate 10.

  The contents other than the above are the same as in the first embodiment.

[Fourth Embodiment]
The fourth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the method of joining the upper electrode substrate and the lower electrode substrate.

  The present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 13, 14, and 15. FIG. The touch panel in the present embodiment has a substantially rectangular upper electrode substrate 310 in which a transparent conductive film 312 is formed on one surface of a film 311 and a glass substrate 321 having substantially the same shape as the upper electrode substrate 310. It is composed of a lower electrode substrate 320 on which a transparent conductive film 322 is formed.

  The upper electrode substrate 310 and the lower electrode substrate 320 are bonded with an adhesive or a double-sided tape through a spacer 331 or the like so that the transparent conductive film 312 in the upper electrode substrate 310 and the transparent conductive film 322 in the lower electrode substrate 320 face each other. It is joined.

  The transparent conductive film 312 in the upper electrode substrate 310 is divided into 4 parts in the short direction and 8 parts in the longitudinal direction, and the whole is divided into 32 parts. The division of each conductive region in the transparent conductive film 312 is performed by removing the transparent conductive film 312 between the regions to be conductive regions. Thereby, it can electrically insulate between the divided | segmented electrically conductive area | regions. Each of the divided transparent conductive films 312 is connected to extraction electrodes provided at both ends of the upper electrode substrate 310 in the short direction, and an extraction electrode portion 313 constituted by these extraction electrodes is an upper electrode substrate. Wiring is provided around 310, and is connected to the flexible substrate 314 at one end in the longitudinal direction of the upper electrode substrate 310.

  Further, the lower electrode substrate 320 is provided with four electrodes on the transparent conductive film 322 at the end portions of the four sides constituting the lower electrode substrate 320, and these four electrodes are drawn by the lower electrode substrate 320. A terminal portion 323 is formed at one end of the lower electrode substrate 320 in the longitudinal direction. The lead electrode terminal portion 323 is connected in a region 315 of the flexible substrate 314.

  Specifically, the terminal portion 323 and the flexible substrate 314 are bonded to each other while maintaining electrical conductivity by crimping the flexible substrate 314 and the terminal portion 323 of the extraction electrode via the anisotropic conductive film 324.

  In addition, also in joining of the terminal of the extraction electrode part 313 of the upper electrode board | substrate 310, and the flexible substrate 314, you may join by crimping using an anisotropic conductive film similarly.

  In the present embodiment, a single flexible substrate is used, and the number of connectors used for connection to the flexible substrate can be reduced, so that a touch panel can be manufactured at low cost.

  The contents other than the above are the same as in the first embodiment. Moreover, it is applicable also to 2nd Embodiment and 3rd Embodiment.

  As mentioned above, although the form which concerns on implementation of this invention was demonstrated, the said content does not limit the content of invention.

  The present invention can be applied to a 5-wire resistive touch panel, and is useful when the display of various information processing devices is configured with a 5-wire resistive touch panel. Examples of information processing devices in this case include a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable music player, a portable image player, a portable browser, a one-segment tuner, an electronic dictionary, a car navigation system, a computer, a POS terminal, and an inventory management terminal. ATM and various multimedia terminals.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Upper electrode substrate 11 Film 12 Transparent conductive film 13 Extraction electrode part 14 Flexible substrate 20 Lower electrode substrate 21 Glass 22 Transparent conductive film 23 Electrode 24 Electrode 25 Electrode 26 Electrode 27 Flexible substrate 31 Spacer 121 Conductive area 121a Area part 121b Lead part 121c Connection part 122 Conductive region 131 Lead electrode 132 Lead electrode

Claims (13)

An upper electrode substrate having an upper conductive film formed on the first substrate;
A lower electrode substrate having a lower conductive film formed on a second substrate;
Four electrodes respectively provided at the ends of the four sides of the lower conductive film for generating a potential distribution in the lower conductive film;
In the touch panel provided with the upper conductive film and the lower conductive film facing each other,
The upper conductive film has a plurality of conductive regions divided into three or more in the vertical direction and three or more in the horizontal direction,
The conductive region that is not in contact with any of the four sides of the upper electrode substrate has a lead portion made of an upper conductive film extending to one side of the four sides,
A touch panel that detects coordinate positions of a plurality of contact positions between the lower conductive film and the upper conductive film.   2. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the number of divisions in a smaller direction among the number of divisions of the conductive region in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the upper electrode film is an even number.   The number of divisions in the smaller direction among the number of divided conductive regions in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the upper electrode film is 4 or more, and the divided conductive regions are along the direction with the larger number of divisions. 3. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the conductive region that is not adjacent to the adjacent side is provided with the lead-out portion extending along the side along the direction in which the number of divisions is large. The number of divisions is 5 or more, and the conductive region that is not adjacent to the side along the direction in which the number of divisions is large includes a conductive region having a long lead portion and a lead portion shorter than the long lead portion. A conductive region having a short lead portion,
The touch panel according to claim 3, wherein a width of the short drawer portion is narrower than a width of the long drawer portion. An upper electrode substrate having an upper conductive film formed on the first substrate;
A lower electrode substrate having a lower conductive film formed on a second substrate;
Four electrodes respectively provided at the ends of the four sides of the lower conductive film for generating a potential distribution in the lower conductive film;
In the touch panel provided with the upper conductive film and the lower conductive film facing each other,
The upper conductive film has a conductor region that is divided into two or more parts in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, and the plurality of conductive regions are a conductor region in contact with any one of the four sides of the upper electrode substrate. , Consisting of a conductor region not in contact with the one side,
The conductor region not in contact with the one side has a lead portion made of an upper conductive film extending to the one side,
A touch panel that detects coordinate positions of a plurality of contact positions between the lower conductive film and the upper conductive film.   The number of divisions of the conductive region in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction in the upper electrode film is the same, and one is a direction with a small number of divisions and the other is a direction with a large number of divisions. The touch panel according to claim 3.   The conductive region which is not in contact with one side among the four sides of the upper conductive film is provided with two or more lead portions connected to one conductive region. Touch panel.   The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the conductive region has a rectangular shape or a square shape, and a long side or a length of one side is 25 mm or less.   The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the upper conductive film is a transparent conductive film.   The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the lower conductive film is a transparent conductive film.   The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the upper electrode substrate has the upper extraction electrode connected to a flexible substrate. In the upper electrode substrate, the upper extraction electrode is connected to a flexible substrate,
A lower lead electrode connected to the four electrodes is formed on the lower electrode substrate, and a terminal of the lower lead electrode and the flexible substrate are connected by thermocompression bonding with an anisotropic conductive material. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein: In the upper electrode substrate, the upper extraction electrode and the flexible substrate are connected by thermocompression bonding with an anisotropic conductive material,
A lower lead electrode connected to the four electrodes is formed on the lower electrode substrate, and a terminal of the lower lead electrode and the flexible substrate are connected by thermocompression bonding with an anisotropic conductive material. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein:

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