JP2014075017A - Touch panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a circuit pattern less conspicuous as much as possible.SOLUTION: A touch panel 1 comprises: a display 2 configured to display a display screen; and a touch sensor substrate 10 arranged on the front side of the display 2 and on which a plurality of sensor parts 11 to 14 are formed in different areas on one side of a transparent substrate 5. In the touch sensor substrate 10 of the touch panel 1, each of the sensor parts 11 to 1 4 are made of conductive material formed in a grating pattern. The touch sensor substrate 10 has a joint pattern layer 4 having joint patterns 15 to 17 formed in areas corresponding to the formation areas of slits 6 to 8 between the sensor parts 11 to 14 of the sensor layer 3, and configured to make the patterns of the sensor part look continuous so as not to be connected electrically.

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch panel using non-transparent wiring.

  Conventionally, when wiring is provided on the display surface of an information terminal such as a mobile phone terminal or a portable game machine, or on LED lighting, a transparent conductive film material such as ITO has been used. However, ITO is an expensive material and has a problem of low conductivity.

  Therefore, without using a transparent conductive film material such as ITO, the copper wiring is formed in a fine and lattice shape and the distance between the wirings is widened, thereby reducing the ratio of the wiring portion that does not transmit light to the entire circuit. A capacitive touch panel having a structure in which a pattern is not conspicuous has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

  In this touch panel, a slit is formed in the wiring part between the circuit patterns so that the specific input area and the electrode terminal in the peripheral portion are associated with each other one by one, and the dimming part is formed in a part of the specific input area. By expressing the buttons, an input means for selecting a desired one from a plurality of operation buttons on one screen is realized.

  In addition, a plurality of circuit patterns are formed in the same manner as described above, and the slits formed between the circuit patterns are hardly conspicuous by devising the shape of the slits in the wiring part to prevent a short circuit between the circuit patterns. A structure is also proposed (see Patent Documents 2 and 3).

Japanese Patent No. 4610416 JP 2011-59771 A JP 2011-59772 A

  However, the conventional touch panel disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 has a structure in which a visible slit exists between the circuit patterns, so that it is difficult to make the slit inconspicuous because the transparency of the substrate is formed. There is a problem that will occur.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel that can solve the above-described problems of the prior art and make a circuit pattern as inconspicuous as possible.

  A touch panel according to the present invention includes a display unit that displays a display screen, a touch sensor substrate that is disposed on a front surface side of the display unit, and in which a plurality of sensor units are formed in different regions on one surface of a transparent substrate. The plurality of sensor units are each made of a conductive material patterned in a grid pattern, and the touch sensor substrate is between the sensor units formed on one surface of the transparent base material. It is characterized in that a connection pattern is provided that makes the patterns of the sensor portions continuous in appearance without being electrically connected to each other.

  According to the touch panel according to the present invention, the patterns of the sensor units are not electrically connected to each other between the plurality of sensor units patterned in a grid pattern in different areas on one surface of the transparent base material. Since the connection pattern to be used is provided, the presence of slits for preventing short circuits between the sensor parts is canceled out by making the transparency of the substrate uniform with the connection pattern so that it is not visible on the outside. The circuit pattern can be made as inconspicuous as possible.

  In one Embodiment of this invention, the said connection pattern is formed on the at least one surface of the said transparent base material.

  In another embodiment of the present invention, the connecting pattern is made of a non-conductive member.

  In still another embodiment of the present invention, the connecting pattern is formed such that a pattern distance is longer than a distance between the patterns of the sensor unit that is continuously appearance by the connecting pattern.

  In still another embodiment of the present invention, the connecting pattern is used as a wiring member when formed on a surface opposite to the sensor portion forming surface.

  The touch panel according to the present invention includes a display unit that displays a display screen, and a touch sensor substrate that is disposed on the front side of the display unit, and in which a plurality of sensor units are formed in different regions on both surfaces of the transparent substrate. The plurality of sensor units are each made of a conductive material patterned in a grid pattern, and the sensor unit is configured so that the pattern of the sensor unit at the boundary of each region is continuous in appearance. It is characterized by being alternately formed on both surfaces of the transparent substrate.

According to the touch panel according to the present invention, since a plurality of sensor portions alternately formed in a lattice pattern are provided in different regions on both surfaces of the transparent base material, the pattern of the sensor portion at the boundary portion of each region Therefore, a slit for preventing a short circuit between the sensor portions is unnecessary, and the circuit pattern of each sensor portion can be made as inconspicuous as possible.
It is characterized by providing.

  According to the present invention, the circuit pattern can be made as inconspicuous as possible.

It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of the touchscreen which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the sensor part of the touch panel. It is a top view at the time of assembling the touch panel. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A ′ of FIG. 3. It is sectional drawing which shows the touch sensor board | substrate of the same touch panel for every manufacturing process. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of touch sensor board | substrate of the touchscreen which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the touch sensor board | substrate of the same touch panel for every manufacturing process. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of touch sensor board | substrate of the touchscreen which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the touch sensor board | substrate of the same touch panel for every manufacturing process. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of touch sensor board | substrate of the touchscreen which concerns on the 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the touch sensor board | substrate of the same touch panel for every manufacturing process. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of touch sensor board | substrate of the touchscreen which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows a part of touch sensor board | substrate of the same touch panel. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of touch sensor board | substrate of the touchscreen which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of touch sensor board | substrate of the touchscreen which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, a touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the touch panel according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sensor unit of the touch panel. FIG. 3 is a plan view when the touch panel is assembled. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the touch panel 1 according to the first embodiment includes a display 2 that displays a display screen, and a touch sensor substrate 10 that is disposed on the front side of the display 2. Yes.

  The touch sensor substrate 10 includes a transparent base material 5 made of a transparent material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyimide (PI), and a sensor layer 3 made of a conductive material formed on one surface of the transparent base material 5. And a connecting pattern layer 4 made of a printing material formed on the other surface. The cover layer 18 (see FIG. 4) is formed on the sensor layer 3.

  The sensor layer 3 includes a plurality of sensor portions 11, 12, 13, and 14 that are patterned through slits 6, 7, and 8 in different regions on one surface of the transparent substrate 5 so as not to contact each other. Prepare. Each sensor part 11-14 of the sensor layer 3 consists of electrically conductive materials, such as copper foil patterned in the grid | lattice form of a mesh structure, respectively. As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 2, for example, the mesh structure is configured in a rectangular lattice shape so that the distance between the conductive thin lines is wider than the width of the conductive thin lines forming the pattern of the sensor unit. Yes. In addition, the mesh structure may be formed in various lattice shapes such as a polygon or a circle. Since the plurality of sensor units 11 to 14 have such a mesh structure, the ratio of the wiring portion that does not transmit light from the display 2 in the touch sensor substrate 10 is reduced as much as possible. Therefore, the display screen of the background display 2 The above structure is inconspicuous.

  The connection pattern layer 4 includes connection patterns 15, 16, and 17 that are printed and formed on the other surface of the transparent substrate 5 in areas corresponding to the formation positions of the slits 6 to 8 and the thickness direction of the substrate. Prepare. The connection patterns 15 to 17 of the connection pattern layer 4 are pattern-printed in the same color like a grid, similarly to the sensor units 11 to 14, and the patterns in the sensor units 11 to 14 are electrically disconnected and continuous in appearance. It is made of a printing material patterned so as to cause

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the connecting patterns 15, 16, and 17 (the connecting pattern 17 is not shown) are arranged on the other surface of the transparent substrate 5, and each sensor unit 11 on one surface. 14 to 14 (sensor unit 14 is not shown), the patterns of the sensor units 11 to 14 are not electrically connected to the slits 6 to 8 (slit 8 is not shown) and the region corresponding to the thickness direction. (The patterns are continuously connected with the same size and shape as the patterns).

  In FIG. 4, the display 2 of the touch panel 1 disposed on the side of the connection patterns 15 to 17 of the touch sensor substrate 10 in FIG. 1 with an adhesive or the like is omitted. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a display screen capable of displaying an operation input image 2 a and the like is appropriately displayed on the display 2 at positions corresponding to the formation regions of the sensor portions 11 to 14 of the touch sensor substrate 10. Is done.

  In the touch sensor substrate 10 of the touch panel 1 configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 3, the formation positions of the sensor portions 11 to 14 and the arrangement of the slits 6 to 8 are formed by the connection patterns 15 to 17. It is possible to configure so that the position becomes inconspicuous where the position is hardly understood in appearance. In FIG. 3, for convenience, the sensor units 11 to 14 and the connection patterns 15 to 17 are drawn so as to be visible. However, in the actual touch sensor substrate 10, it is possible to confirm these on the appearance. It becomes extremely difficult.

  The touch sensor substrate 10 of the touch panel 1 configured as described above is manufactured, for example, as follows. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the touch sensor substrate of the touch panel for each manufacturing process. In FIG. 5, as in FIG. 4, the connecting pattern 17, the sensor unit 14, and the slit 8 are not shown. First, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), a single-sided copper-clad laminate (single-sided) in which a conductive layer 9 such as copper foil is formed on one side of a transparent substrate 5 made of a transparent material such as PET. CCL).

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, an etching resist 19 having a predetermined pattern is formed on the conductor layer 9 so as to form the lattice-shaped sensor portions 11 to 14 and the slits 6 to 8, and etching is performed. Then, the sensor layer 3 provided with the sensor portions 11 to 14 and the slits 6 to 8 is formed on one surface of the transparent substrate 5 as shown in FIG. The sensor layer 3 may be formed by various known pattern forming methods other than using etching.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 5 (d), a coverlay 18 made of a transparent material such as PET is thermocompression-bonded on the sensor layer 3 of the transparent substrate 5, and finally cured, as shown in FIG. 5 (e). As described above, the slits 6 are formed in the same color as the sensor portions 11 to 14 provided in the sensor layer 3 so that the patterns of the sensor portions 11 to 14 are electrically disconnected from each other as described above. It prints on the other surface of the transparent base material 5 corresponding to -8, and forms the connection patterns 15-17. Thereby, the touch sensor substrate 10 of the touch panel 1 according to the first embodiment as shown in FIG. 4 is manufactured.

  In addition, if the touch sensor board | substrate 10 is manufactured, if it arrange | positions after aligning the display 2 via the adhesive etc. to the connection pattern 15-17 side of the touch sensor board | substrate 10 as mentioned above, the touch panel 1 will be manufactured. Can do.

  As described above, the touch panel 1 according to the first embodiment includes a plurality of sensor units 11 to 14 that are patterned on the touch sensor substrate 10 in a grid pattern in different regions on one surface of the transparent base material 5. Provided, at the positions corresponding to these sensor portions 11 to 14 on the other surface, are connected patterns 15 to 17 of the same color that make the patterns of the sensor portions 11 to 14 electrically continuous without being connected to each other. ing.

  For this reason, the presence of the slits 6 to 8 for preventing a short circuit between the sensor portions 11 to 14 is canceled by making the transparency of the substrate uniform by connecting patterns 15 to 17 so that they are not visible on the outside. It becomes possible to make the circuit patterns of the portions 11 to 14 as inconspicuous as possible.

[Second Embodiment]
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the touch sensor substrate of the touch panel according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the touch sensor substrate of the touch panel for each manufacturing process. In the following, as in FIG. 4, the connecting pattern 17, the sensor unit 14, and the slit 8 are not shown. As shown in FIG. 6, the touch panel according to the second embodiment is different in that the arrangement pattern of the connection patterns 15 to 17 on the touch sensor substrate 10 </ b> A is different from that according to the first embodiment.

  That is, the connecting patterns 15, 16, and 17 are formed on one surface of the transparent substrate 5 in a region on the cover lay 18 corresponding to the slits 6 to 8 between the sensor units 11 to 14 on the same surface. The patterns of the sensor parts 11 to 14 are formed so as to be continuous in appearance without being electrically connected. The description and illustration of the coverlays further formed on the connecting patterns 15 to 17 are omitted.

  The touch sensor substrate 10A configured as described above first prepares a single-sided CCL in which the conductor layer 9 is formed in a solid state on one side of the transparent substrate 5 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7B, etching is performed after an etching resist 19 having a predetermined pattern is formed on the conductor layer 9, and sensor portions 11 to 14 and slits 6 to 8 are provided as shown in FIG. The formed sensor layer 3 is formed.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7 (d), the cover lay 18 is cured by thermocompression bonding on the sensor layer 3 of the transparent substrate 5, and finally, as shown in FIG. 7 (e), the sensor layer 3 The surface of the coverlay 18 corresponding to the slits 6 to 8 in a pattern in which the ink of the same color as that of the sensor portions 11 to 14 provided on the sensor portions 11 to 14 is continuously connected in appearance without being electrically connected to each other. Printing is performed on top to form connecting patterns 15-17. Thereby, the touch sensor substrate 10A of the touch panel 1 according to the second embodiment as shown in FIG. 6 is manufactured.

  When the touch sensor substrate 10A is manufactured, for example, the display 2 is positioned on the opposite side of the transparent substrate 5 of the touch sensor substrate 10A from the sensor layer 3 formation side with an adhesive or the like disposed thereon, and the touch panel 1 is disposed. To manufacture. Also in the touch panel 1 according to the second embodiment configured as described above, the same operational effects as those according to the first embodiment can be achieved.

[Third Embodiment]
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the touch sensor substrate of the touch panel according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the touch sensor substrate of the touch panel for each manufacturing process. As shown in FIG. 8, the touch panel according to the third embodiment is different in that the arrangement pattern of the connection patterns 15 to 17 on the touch sensor substrate 10B is different from that according to the second embodiment.

  That is, the connecting patterns 15, 16, and 17 are formed on one surface of the transparent substrate 5 on the formation region of the slits 6 to 8 between the sensor portions 11 to 14 on the same surface. These patterns are formed so as to be continuous in appearance without being electrically connected. For this reason, the sensor layer 3 and the connection pattern layer 4 are formed in the same layer on the transparent substrate 5.

  The touch sensor substrate 10B configured as described above first prepares a single-sided CCL in which the conductor layer 9 is formed in a solid state on one side of the transparent base 5 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9B, etching is performed after an etching resist 19 having a predetermined pattern is formed on the conductor layer 9, and sensor portions 11 to 14 and slits 6 to 8 are provided as shown in FIG. The formed sensor layer 3 is formed.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 9 (d), the ink of the same color as the sensor portions 11 to 14 provided in the sensor layer 3 is electrically disconnected from the patterns of the sensor portions 11 to 14. Then, printing is performed on the transparent substrate 5 where the slits 6 to 8 are formed in a pattern that is continuous in appearance, and the connecting pattern layer 4 having the connecting patterns 15 to 17 in the same layer as the sensor layer 3 is formed.

  Finally, as shown in FIG. 9 (e), the coverlay 18 is thermocompression bonded onto the sensor layer 3 and the connection pattern layer 4 of the transparent substrate 5 and then cured. Thereby, the touch sensor substrate 10B of the touch panel 1 according to the third embodiment as shown in FIG. 8 is manufactured.

  When the touch sensor substrate 10B is manufactured, for example, the display 2 is positioned on the opposite side of the touch sensor substrate 10B from the side of the transparent base material 5 where the sensor layer 3 and the connection pattern layer 4 are formed via an adhesive or the like. Thus, the touch panel 1 is manufactured. The touch panel 1 according to the third embodiment configured as described above can achieve the same effects as those according to the first and second embodiments, and further reduce the thickness of the entire touch sensor substrate. It can be made thin.

[Fourth Embodiment]
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the touch sensor substrate of the touch panel according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the touch sensor substrate of the touch panel for each manufacturing process. In the touch panel according to the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the sensor layers 3a and 3b are respectively formed on both surfaces of the transparent base material 5 of the touch sensor substrate 10C, and the connecting pattern layer 4 is omitted. This is different from those according to the first to third embodiments.

  That is, the touch sensor substrate 10C includes the sensor units 11 and 13 on the one sensor layer 3a side and the sensor units 12 and 14 (the sensor unit 14 is not illustrated) on the other sensor layer 3b side. . Each sensor part 11-14 is alternately formed in both surfaces of the transparent base material 5 so that the pattern of the sensor parts 11-14 in the boundary part of a sensor formation area may continue in appearance.

  As shown in FIG. 11A, the touch sensor substrate 10C configured as described above is a double-sided copper-clad laminate (double-sided) in which conductor layers 9a and 9b are formed in a solid state on both sides of the transparent substrate 5. CCL) is prepared, and etching is performed after an etching resist 19 having a predetermined pattern is formed on each of the conductor layers 9a and 9b as shown in FIG.

  Thus, as shown in FIG. 11C, the sensor layer 3a having the sensor portions 11 and 13 and the sensor layer 3b having the sensor portions 12 and 14 are formed on both surfaces of the transparent substrate 5, respectively. Finally, as shown in FIG. 11 (d), the cover lays 18 a and 18 b are thermocompression-bonded on the sensor layers 3 a and 3 b of the transparent substrate 5 and then cured. Thereby, the touch sensor substrate 10C of the touch panel 1 according to the fourth embodiment as shown in FIG. 10 is manufactured.

  When the touch sensor substrate 10C is manufactured, for example, the touch panel member 1 is manufactured by positioning the display 2 on one surface side of the touch sensor substrate 10C via an adhesive or the like and arranging the display 2 on the surface. In the touch panel 1 according to the fourth embodiment configured as described above, the same effects as those according to the first to third embodiments can be obtained, and the inks constituting the connection patterns 15 to 17 can be obtained. Therefore, the touch transparent substrate 10C can be manufactured at a low cost and with a small number of processes.

[Other Embodiments]
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a touch sensor substrate of a touch panel according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a part of the touch sensor substrate of the touch panel. 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views showing a part of a touch sensor substrate of a touch panel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the touch panel according to the present embodiment has the same main structure of the touch sensor substrate 10D as the touch sensor substrate 10A according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. Differences in distance relationship in arrangement of the slits 6 to 8 (slit 8 not shown) between the connecting patterns 15 to 17 (not shown) and the sensor parts 11 to 14 (back sensor part 14 not shown). Is different.

  That is, the connecting patterns 15 to 17 on the touch sensor substrate 10D have a pattern distance (pattern length) L from the distance D between the patterns of the sensor units 11 to 14 that are continuously connected in appearance by the connecting patterns 15 to 17. Is also formed to be long. Specifically, the connection patterns 15 to 17 are regions of the slits 6 to 8 so that the boundary portions of the connection patterns 15 to 17 and the boundary portions of the sensor units 11 to 14 slightly overlap in the thickness direction of the substrate. Is more widely formed.

  By being configured in this way, even when a defect such as a slight misalignment occurs in the connection patterns 15 to 17 and the sensor units 11 to 14 in the manufacturing process, the operational effects of the above-described embodiment can be achieved. It becomes possible. The touch sensor substrate 10E shown in FIG. 14 is obtained by applying the configuration of this embodiment with the same main structure as the touch sensor substrate 10 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. In addition, the concept that the pattern distance L is formed so as to be longer than the distance D between the patterns of the sensor unit is applied to the touch sensor substrate 10C according to the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. This is a touch sensor substrate 10F shown in FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Touch panel 2 Display 3 Sensor layer 4 Connection pattern layer 5 Transparent base material 6-8 Slit 9 Conductor layer 10 Touch sensor board | substrate 11-14 Sensor part 15-17 Connection pattern 18 Coverlay

Claims (6)

Display means for displaying a display screen;
In a touch panel having a touch sensor substrate disposed on the front side of the display means and having a plurality of sensor portions formed in different regions on one surface of the transparent substrate,
Each of the plurality of sensor portions is made of a conductive material patterned in a lattice shape,
The touch sensor substrate is provided with a connection pattern that continuously connects the patterns of the sensor units between the sensor units formed on one surface of the transparent base material in an electrically non-connected manner. Touch panel. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the connection pattern is formed on at least one surface of the transparent substrate. The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the connection pattern is made of a non-conductive member. The said connection pattern is formed so that pattern distance may become longer than the distance between the patterns of the said sensor part made continuous in appearance by the said connection pattern. Touch panel. The touch panel according to claim 2, wherein the connection pattern is used as a wiring member when formed on a surface opposite to the sensor portion formation surface. Display means for displaying a display screen;
In a touch panel having a touch sensor substrate disposed on the front side of the display means and having a plurality of sensor portions formed in different regions on both surfaces of the transparent substrate,
The plurality of sensor parts are each made of a conductive material patterned in a grid pattern, and the sensor parts are formed on both surfaces of the transparent base material so that the patterns of the sensor parts at the boundary part of each region are continuous in appearance. A touch panel that is formed alternately.

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