JP2015146086A - touch panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a touch panel having excellent reliability.SOLUTION: A touch panel 1 includes a glass plate 10, a glass sheet 11, and first electrodes 12. The glass sheet 11 is disposed on the glass plate 10. The first electrodes 12 are provided between the glass plate 10 and the glass sheet 11. The first electrodes 12 are deposited on the glass plate 10 or the glass sheet 11. The glass plate 10 and the glass sheet 11 are directly bonded by optical contact.

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch panel.

  In recent years, touch panels are frequently used for displays such as smartphones and tablets. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a liquid crystal display having a touch panel. The touch panel of Patent Document 1 includes a glass plate having a detection electrode, a glass plate having a drive electrode, and an adhesive layer bonding both glass plates.

JP 2010-95659 A

  In the touch panel described in Patent Document 1, an adhesive layer is used. For this reason, the touch panel described in Patent Document 1 is easily deteriorated by light or heat. Therefore, the touch panel described in Patent Document 1 has a problem of low reliability.

  A main object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel having excellent reliability.

  The touch panel according to the present invention includes a glass plate, a glass sheet, and a first electrode. The glass sheet is arranged on the glass plate. The first electrode is provided between the glass plate and the glass sheet. The first electrode is formed on a glass plate or glass sheet. The glass plate and the glass sheet are directly joined by optical contact.

  In the touch panel according to the present invention, it is preferable that the first electrode and the glass plate or the glass sheet are directly bonded by optical contact.

  In the touch panel according to the present invention, the first electrode is constituted by a patterned electrode, and the glass plate and the glass sheet are directly formed by optical contact at a plurality of locations in the region where the first electrode is provided. It may be joined.

  In the touch panel according to the present invention, the first electrode may be formed on a glass sheet.

  The touch panel according to the present invention may further include a second electrode formed on the surface of the glass sheet opposite to the glass plate.

  The touch panel according to the present invention may further include another glass sheet positioned on the glass sheet and a second electrode formed on the glass sheet side surface of the other glass sheet. In that case, it is preferable that another glass sheet and the glass sheet are directly joined by optical contact.

  In the touch panel according to the present invention, the touch surface may be constituted by a surface of the other glass sheet opposite to the glass sheet.

  In the touch panel according to the present invention, the glass plate may be composed of a tempered glass plate.

  In the touch panel according to the present invention, the first electrode may be formed on a glass plate. In that case, the touch panel according to the present invention has a second electrode formed on the surface of the glass sheet on the glass plate side, a film formed on the glass plate or the glass sheet, and the first electrode An insulating film that insulates the second electrode may be further provided. In that case, the touch surface may be comprised by the surface on the opposite side to the glass plate of a glass sheet.

  In the touch panel according to the present invention, the thickness of the glass sheet is preferably 100 μm or less.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a touch panel having excellent reliability.

It is a typical exploded sectional view of the touch panel concerning a 1st embodiment. 1 is a schematic plan view of a touch panel according to a first embodiment. It is a typical perspective plan view of the 1st electrode in a 1st embodiment. It is a typical perspective plan view of the 2nd electrode in a 1st embodiment. It is a typical exploded sectional view of the touch panel concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is a typical exploded sectional view of the touch panel concerning a 3rd embodiment. It is a typical exploded sectional view of the touch panel concerning a 4th embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an example of the preferable form which implemented this invention is demonstrated. However, the following embodiment is merely an example. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

  Moreover, in each drawing referred in embodiment etc., the member which has a substantially the same function shall be referred with the same code | symbol. The drawings referred to in the embodiments and the like are schematically described. A ratio of dimensions of an object drawn in a drawing may be different from a ratio of dimensions of an actual object. The dimensional ratio of the object may be different between the drawings. The specific dimensional ratio of the object should be determined in consideration of the following description.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded sectional view of the touch panel according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the touch panel according to the first embodiment. A touch panel 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is, for example, a touch panel arranged and used on a display 2. The driving method of the touch panel 1 is not particularly limited. The driving method of the touch panel 1 may be, for example, a capacitance type or a resistance film type. In the present embodiment, description will be given by taking the projection type capacitive touch panel 1 as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the touch panel 1 includes a glass plate 10. The glass plate 10 is a member for ensuring the mechanical strength of the touch panel 1. The glass plate 10 will not be specifically limited if the mechanical strength of the touch panel 1 can be ensured. The glass plate 10 may be, for example, a tempered glass plate such as a chemically strengthened glass plate, a crystallized glass plate, or an alkali-free glass plate. The thickness of the glass plate 10 can be, for example, about 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm.

  Glass plate 10 has a first main surface 10a and a second main surface 10b. The glass plate 10 is arranged so that the first main surface 10 a faces the display 2.

  A first glass sheet 11 is disposed on the second main surface 10 b of the glass plate 10. Here, the “glass sheet” refers to a flexible glass material having a thickness of 200 μm or less. The thickness of the first glass sheet 11 is preferably 100 μm or less, and more preferably 50 μm or less. The thickness of the 1st glass sheet 11 is 30 micrometers or more normally.

  A first electrode 12 is arranged between the first glass sheet 11 and the glass plate 10. The first electrode 12 is formed on the first glass sheet 11 or the glass plate 10. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the first electrode 12 is formed on the first main surface 11 a located on the glass plate 10 side of the first glass sheet 11. The thickness of the first electrode 12 is preferably 200 nm or less, and more preferably 100 nm or less. The thickness of the first electrode 12 is usually 5 nm or more.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first electrode 12 covers a part of the first main surface 11 a of the first glass sheet 11. A portion of the first major surface 11a is exposed from the first electrode 12. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the first electrode 12 is provided on a portion (region A) excluding the peripheral portion of the first main surface 11a. Moreover, the 1st electrode 12 is comprised by the patterned patterning electrode. Therefore, in the region A where the first electrode 12 is provided, there is a portion where the first main surface 11a is exposed from the first electrode 12.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a second electrode 13 is provided on the second main surface 11 b located on the opposite side of the first glass sheet 11 from the glass plate 10. One of the first electrode 12 and the second electrode 13 constitutes a detection electrode, and the other constitutes a drive electrode. In this embodiment, the 1st glass sheet 11 located between the 1st electrode 12 and the 2nd electrode 13 comprises the insulating layer.

  Specifically, the second electrode 13 is disposed between the second glass sheet (another glass sheet) 14 positioned on the first glass sheet 11 and the first glass sheet 11. Yes. More specifically, the second electrode 13 is formed on the first main surface 14 a located on the first glass sheet 11 side of the second glass sheet 14. The thickness of the second electrode 13 is preferably 200 nm or less, and more preferably 100 nm or less. The thickness of the second electrode 13 is usually 5 nm or more.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the second electrode 13 covers a part of the first main surface 14 a of the second glass sheet 14. A part of the first main surface 14 a is exposed from the second electrode 13. Specifically, in this embodiment, the 2nd electrode 13 is provided on the part except the peripheral part of the 1st main surface 14a. Moreover, the 2nd electrode 13 is comprised by the patterned patterning electrode. Therefore, in the region A where the first and second electrodes 12 and 13 are provided, there is a portion where the first main surface 14 a is exposed from the second electrode 13.

  In addition, it is preferable that the thickness of the 2nd glass sheet 14 is 100 micrometers or less, and it is more preferable that it is 50 micrometers or less. The thickness of the second glass sheet 14 is usually 30 μm or more.

  In the touch panel 1, the touch surface 1 </ b> A is configured by the second main surface 14 b located on the opposite side of the second glass sheet 14 from the first glass sheet 11. Here, the “touch surface” refers to a surface on which the operator of the touch panel operates the touch panel by bringing a finger or a touch member into contact therewith.

  For example, an antireflection film, an antifouling film, an antiglare film, or the like may be formed on the second main surface 14b constituting the touch surface 1A.

  By the way, as a method of joining the 1st glass sheet 11 and the glass plate 10, the joining method using an adhesive agent can be considered, for example. Similarly, as a method of bonding the second glass sheet 14 and the first glass sheet 11, for example, a bonding method using an adhesive is conceivable. However, the adhesive layer is easily deteriorated by heat, light, or the like. For this reason, when the adhesive layer is provided, there arises a problem that the reliability of the touch panel is lowered.

  In the touch panel 1, a part of the first main surface 11 a of the first glass sheet 11 is exposed from the first electrode 12, and the first glass sheet 11 and the glass plate 10 are in optical contact at the exposed part. Are joined directly. A part of the first main surface 14a of the second glass sheet 14 is exposed from the second electrode 13, and the second glass sheet 14 and the first glass sheet 11 are optically contacted at the exposed part. Directly joined. For this reason, no adhesive layer is provided between the first glass sheet 11 and the glass plate 10 or the second glass sheet 14. Therefore, the touch panel 1 has excellent reliability.

  In the present embodiment, since no adhesive layer is provided between the first glass sheet 11 and the glass plate 10 or the second glass sheet 14, there are few interfaces between media having different refractive indexes. . Therefore, the touch panel 1 has a high light transmittance. In the adhesive layer, air bubbles may be generated in the adhesive layer due to light irradiation or heat, but the problem is solved in the touch panel 1 joined by optical contact.

  Furthermore, the adhesive layer is usually an elastic body. For this reason, when the glass sheet is adhere | attached by the contact bonding layer and the touch surface is comprised by the glass sheet, a glass sheet tends to deform | transform at the time of operation of a touch panel. Therefore, the glass sheet may be damaged. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the adhesive layer is not provided. For this reason, the glass sheets 11 and 14 are not easily deformed when the touch panel 1 is operated. Therefore, the glass sheets 11 and 14 are not easily damaged.

  In the touch panel 1, the first glass sheet 11 and each of the glass plate 10 and the second glass sheet 14 are directly bonded to each other at a plurality of locations in the region A by optical contact. Therefore, the 1st glass sheet 11, the glass plate 10, and the 2nd glass sheet 14 are joined more firmly.

  From the viewpoint of further increasing the bonding strength between the first glass sheet 11 and the glass plate 10 and making it difficult for voids to be generated between the first glass sheet 11 and the glass plate 10, It is preferable that the glass plate 10 is directly joined by optical contact. It is preferable that the 2nd electrode 13 and the 1st glass sheet 11 are directly joined by the optical contact. Thus, it is preferable that the electrode and the glass sheet or glass plate facing the electrode are directly joined by optical contact.

  By the way, it is also conceivable to use a thick glass plate instead of the glass sheets 11 and 14. However, since the glass plates have substantially no flexibility, the glass plates are unlikely to contact each other in a region where the first or second electrode is not provided. Therefore, it is difficult to make optical contact between the glass plates. By using the flexible glass sheets 11 and 14 as in the present embodiment, the first glass sheet 11 and each of the glass plate 10 and the second glass sheet 14 can be suitably brought into optical contact. It becomes possible. From the viewpoint of more suitably optical contact, the thickness of the glass sheets 11 and 14 is preferably 100 μm or less, and more preferably 50 μm or less.

  In the present embodiment, the example in which the first electrode 12 is formed on the first glass sheet 11 has been described. However, the first electrode 12 may be formed on the glass plate 10. However, when the glass plate 10 is a tempered glass plate having a compressive stress layer as a surface layer, when the first electrode 12 is formed on the glass plate 10, the strength of the glass plate 10 is reduced and the strength is high It may be difficult to obtain the touch panel 1. In the present embodiment, the first electrode 12 is formed on the first glass sheet 11. For this reason, when a tempered glass plate having a compressive stress layer as a surface layer is used as the glass plate 10, the strength of the glass plate 10 is not easily lowered by the first electrode 12. Therefore, a high-strength touch panel 1 can be realized.

  Hereinafter, other examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described. In the following description, members having substantially the same functions as those of the first embodiment are referred to by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded cross-sectional view of the touch panel 1a according to the second embodiment. In the touch panel 1 a, the first electrode 12 is provided on the second main surface 10 b of the glass plate 10. On the other hand, the second electrode 13 is provided on the first main surface 11 a of the glass sheet 11. The first electrode 12 and the second electrode 13 are insulated by an insulating film 15 formed on the glass plate 10 or the glass sheet 11. Specifically, in this embodiment, the insulating film 15 is formed on the glass plate 10. The insulating film 15 is provided in a portion where the first electrode 12 and the second electrode 13 overlap in the thickness direction. For this reason, there exists a region where the glass plate 10 and the glass sheet 11 are directly opposed to each other without the first and second electrodes 12 and 13 and the insulating film 15 interposed therebetween.

  Also in this embodiment, the glass plate 10 and the glass sheet 11 are directly joined by the optical contact. For this reason, the substantially same effect as 1st Embodiment is produced, such as being able to implement | achieve the outstanding reliability.

(Third embodiment)
FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded sectional view of the touch panel 1b according to the third embodiment. In the touch panel 1b, the touch surface 1A is constituted by the second main surface 10b of the glass plate 10. The first electrode 12 is formed on the first main surface 10 a of the glass plate 10. The second electrode 13 is formed on the first main surface 11 a of the glass sheet 11.

  Also in this embodiment, the glass plate 10 and the glass sheet 11 are directly joined by the optical contact. For this reason, the substantially same effect as 1st Embodiment is show | played, such as being able to implement | achieve the outstanding reliability.

(Fourth embodiment)
FIG. 7 is a schematic exploded sectional view of the touch panel 1c according to the fourth embodiment. In the touch panel 1c, the touch surface 1A is configured by the second main surface 10b of the glass plate 10. The first electrode 12 is formed on the first main surface 11 a of the glass sheet 11. The second electrode 13 is formed on the second main surface 11 b of the glass sheet 11.

  Also in this embodiment, the glass plate 10 and the glass sheet 11 are directly joined by the optical contact. For this reason, the substantially same effect as 1st Embodiment is produced, such as being able to implement | achieve the outstanding reliability.

1, 1a, 1b, 1c: Touch panel 1A: Touch surface 2: Display 10: Glass plate 10a: First main surface 10b: Second main surface 11: First glass sheet 11a: First main surface 11b: 2nd main surface 12: 1st electrode 13: 2nd electrode 14: 2nd glass sheet 14a: 1st main surface 14b: 2nd main surface 15: Insulating film

Claims (11)

A glass plate,
A glass sheet disposed on the glass plate;
A first electrode provided between the glass plate and the glass sheet, and formed on the glass plate or the glass sheet;
With
The touch panel in which the glass plate and the glass sheet are directly joined by optical contact.   The touch panel according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the glass plate or the glass sheet are directly bonded by optical contact. The first electrode is composed of a patterned electrode;
The touch panel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the glass plate and the glass sheet are directly joined by optical contact at a plurality of locations in a region where the first electrode is provided.   The touch panel as described in any one of Claims 1-3 with which the said 1st electrode is formed into a film on the said glass sheet.   The touch panel as described in any one of Claims 1-4 further provided with the 2nd electrode formed into a film on the surface on the opposite side to the said glass plate of the said glass sheet. Another glass sheet located on the glass sheet;
A second electrode formed on the glass sheet side surface of the other glass sheet;
Further comprising
The touch panel as described in any one of Claims 1-4 with which the said another glass sheet and the said glass sheet are directly joined by the optical contact.   The touch panel according to claim 6, wherein a touch surface is constituted by a surface of the other glass sheet opposite to the glass sheet.   The touch panel as described in any one of Claims 4-7 with which the said glass plate is comprised with the tempered glass plate. The first electrode is formed on the glass plate;
A second electrode formed on the surface of the glass sheet on the glass plate side;
An insulating film which is formed on the glass plate or the glass sheet and insulates the first electrode from the second electrode;
The touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising:   The touch panel according to claim 9, wherein a touch surface is constituted by a surface of the glass sheet opposite to the glass plate.   The touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the glass sheet has a thickness of 100 µm or less.

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