JP4013511B2 - Transparent touch panel - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transparent touch panel used for operation of various electronic devices.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, as electronic devices have become more sophisticated and diversified, a transparent touch panel is attached to the front of a display element such as an LCD, and the characters, symbols, patterns, etc. displayed on the display element can be viewed and selected through this transparent touch panel. There are an increasing number of devices that switch each function of a device by operating a transparent touch panel.
[0003]
Such a conventional transparent touch panel will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0004]
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a conventional transparent touch panel, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the upper and lower substrates. In FIG. 1, 1 is a transparent upper substrate such as polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate film. A transparent upper conductive layer 2 such as tin or tin oxide is formed by vacuum sputtering or the like.
[0005]
Reference numerals 3 and 4 denote a pair of upper electrodes printed by a paste of silver, carbon, etc., as shown in FIG. 5 (a), partially above the upper conductive layer 2 by etching or laser cutting. The upper substrate 1 from which the conductive layer 2 is removed and the substrate is exposed is extended, and a pair of upper lead-out portions 3A and 4A are provided at the ends.
[0006]
Further, 5 is a lower substrate made of glass, acrylic, polycarbonate resin or the like, and on this upper surface, a transparent lower conductive layer 6 is formed in the same manner as the upper conductive layer 2, and as shown in FIG. A pair of lower electrodes 7 and 8 extend from the opposite ends of the upper conductive layer 2 on the lower substrate 5 from which the lower conductive layer 6 has been removed.
[0007]
The end portions of the lower electrodes 7 and 8 are provided with a pair of lower lead-out portions 7A and 8A, and a plurality of dot spacers for maintaining a predetermined gap from the upper conductive layer 2 on the upper surface of the lower conductive layer 6. (Not shown) are formed at predetermined intervals by an insulating resin such as epoxy or silicon.
[0008]
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the upper substrate 1 and the lower substrate 5 have a predetermined gap between the upper conductive layer 2 and the lower conductive layer 6 by a frame-shaped spacer 9 having an adhesive applied to the upper and lower surfaces. The outer periphery is bonded so as to face each other, and a plurality of wiring patterns are sandwiched between wiring boards 10 formed on the lower surface between the lead-out portions of the upper substrate 1 and the lower substrate 5.
[0009]
Then, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 6, anisotropic conductive adhesive 11 is applied between the leading portions of the upper and lower substrates 1, 5 and the wiring pattern of the wiring substrate 10, and the upper leading portion 3 </ b> A of the upper substrate 1 4A is adhesively connected to the wiring patterns 12A and 13A on the upper surface of the wiring substrate 10 connected to the wiring patterns 12 and 13 on the lower surface by through holes filled with a conductive agent in the through holes.
[0010]
Similarly, the lower lead-out portions 7A and 8A of the lower substrate 5 are adhesively connected to the wiring patterns 14 and 15 on the lower surface of the wiring substrate 10 by the anisotropic conductive adhesive 11 to constitute a transparent touch panel.
[0011]
In the above configuration, each wiring pattern of the wiring board 10 is connected to the detection circuit of the electronic device by a connector or the like, and when the upper surface of the upper board 1 is pressed with a finger or a pen, the upper board 1 is bent and pressed. The upper conductive layer 2 is in contact with the lower conductive layer 6 and the pressed position is detected by the resistance ratio between the upper electrodes 3 and 4 and the lower electrodes 7 and 8. It was a thing.
[0012]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional transparent touch panel described above, the upper substrate 1 from which the upper electrodes 3 and 4 and the lower electrodes 7 and 8 extend, the upper conductive layer 2 and the lower conductive layer 6 on the lower substrate 5 can be removed by etching or the like. This is necessary, and the effective operation area where the pressing operation and its position can be detected is reduced by this amount, so that there is a problem that the outer dimensions are larger than the predetermined effective operation area.
[0013]
The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a transparent touch panel capable of reducing the overall size while securing a predetermined operation effective area.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration.
[0015]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the rectangular transparent upper conductive layer formed on the lower surface side of the upper substrate is different from the rectangular transparent lower conductive layer formed on the upper surface side of the lower substrate. The upper substrate and the upper electrode provided on one opposite side of the upper conductive layer are positioned in an orthogonal relationship with the lower electrode provided on one opposite side of the lower conductive layer. A transparent touch panel in which a lower substrate is arranged, wherein the lower substrate is individually provided with a corresponding connection electrode for each of the upper electrodes on one side surface portion in parallel with the lower electrode. In addition, a wiring board is attached to each one end side of the connection electrode and a portion extending from each of the lower electrodes, and the connection of the upper electrode to the other end of the connection electrode is attached to the wiring board. Projection of the upper substrate formed on the side surface side A joint portion extending from the upper electrode is disposed on the lower surface of the upper electrode, and the protruding portion is bent toward the side surface portion on which the wiring board of the lower substrate is mounted, and the upper electrode is interposed through the joint portion. Are transparent touch panels respectively connected to the other ends of the connection electrodes. With this configuration in which the upper and lower substrate lead-out portions and connection portions are provided on the side surfaces of the lower substrate, an operation effective area can be formed on almost the entire lower surface of the upper substrate and the upper surface of the lower substrate, so that a predetermined operation effective area is secured. However, it has an effect that a transparent touch panel capable of reducing the overall size can be obtained.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0017]
In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part of the structure same as the structure demonstrated in the term of the prior art, and detailed description is simplified.
[0018]
(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a transparent touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the upper and lower substrates, in which 20 is a polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate film having a thickness of about 150 to 200 μm. The transparent upper substrate is provided with protrusions 20A and 20B at both ends, and a transparent upper conductive layer 21 such as indium tin oxide or tin oxide is formed on the entire lower surface by vacuum sputtering or the like.
[0019]
22A and 22B are a pair of upper electrodes printed and formed with a paste of silver, carbon, etc., as shown in FIG. 2A, extending from both ends of the upper conductive layer 21, and projecting portions 20A and 20B. Junction parts 23A and 23B are provided.
[0020]
Reference numeral 24 denotes a lower substrate made of glass, acrylic, polycarbonate resin, or the like. On the upper surface, a transparent lower conductive layer 25 is formed in the same manner as the upper conductive layer 21, and as shown in FIG. A pair of lower electrodes 26 </ b> A and 26 </ b> B extends from both ends in the direction orthogonal to the upper conductive layer 21.
[0021]
A lower lead-out portion 29A connected to the lower electrode 26A is provided on the right side surface of the lower substrate 24 by printing a paste such as silver or carbon, and the lower electrode 26B is connected to the right side via the lower surface from the left side surface. The lower lead-out portion 29B is provided on the right side surface.
[0022]
Further, on the right side surface of the lower substrate 24, there are formed connection electrodes 27 and 28 having upper lead portions 27B and 28B at one end and connection portions 27A and 28A at the other end.
[0023]
Accordingly, the lead-out portions conventionally provided on the upper and lower substrates are arranged on the side surfaces of the lower substrate 24, and other than the upper electrodes 22A and 22B and the lower electrodes 26A and 26B on the lower surface of the upper substrate 20 and the upper surface of the lower substrate 24. The entire area is an operation effective area in which a pressing operation and position detection are possible.
[0024]
A plurality of dot spacers (not shown) for maintaining a predetermined gap with the upper conductive layer 21 are formed on the upper surface of the lower conductive layer 25 at a predetermined interval by an insulating resin such as epoxy or silicon. As shown in FIG. 1, the upper conductive layer 21 and the lower substrate 24 are opposed to each other with a predetermined gap therebetween by a frame-like spacer 9 having an adhesive applied to the upper and lower surfaces thereof. The outer periphery is pasted together.
[0025]
Then, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the joint portions 23A and 23B of the upper substrate 20 are bent downward at a right angle, and as shown in FIG. 3 (b), inside the synthetic resin such as chloroprene rubber, polyester, epoxy, or the like. Further, the anisotropic conductive adhesive 11 in which conductive powder obtained by applying noble metal plating to metal powder or metal or resin powder is bonded and connected to the connecting portions 27A and 28A.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 1, the wiring pattern on the lower surface of the wiring board 30 is bonded and connected to the upper lead-out portions 27B and 28B and the lower lead-out portions 29A and 29B by the anisotropic conductive adhesive 11, respectively.
[0027]
Accordingly, the upper electrodes 22A and 22B of the upper substrate 20 are connected to the upper lead-out portions 27B and 28B from the joint portions 23A and 23B of the protruding portions 20A and 20B through the connection portions 27A and 28A of the lower substrate 24, and below the lower substrate 24. The electrodes 26A and 26B are adhesively connected to the wiring pattern on the lower surface of the wiring board 30 at the lower lead-out portions 29A and 29B, thereby forming a transparent touch panel.
[0028]
In the above configuration, each wiring pattern of the wiring board 30 is connected to a detection circuit of an electronic device by a connector or the like, and when the upper surface of the upper board 20 is pressed with a finger or a pen, the upper board 20 is bent and pressed. The upper conductive layer 21 in contact with the lower conductive layer 25 is in contact with the lower conductive layer 25.
[0029]
The detection circuit is configured to detect the pressed portion by the resistance ratio between the upper electrodes 22A and 22B and the lower electrodes 26A and 26B.
[0030]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the joint portions 23A and 23B are provided at the ends of the upper electrodes 22A and 22B extending from both ends of the transparent upper conductive layer 21 of the upper substrate 20, and the upper conductive layer 21 is provided. And lower lead portions 29A and 29B at the ends of the lower electrodes 26A and 26B extending from both ends of the transparent lower conductive layer 25 of the lower substrate 24 facing each other with a predetermined gap therebetween, and upper lead portions 27B and 28B at one end. The upper and lower substrates are derived by providing the connection electrodes 27 and 28 connected to the joint portions 23A and 23B of the upper substrate 20 on the side surfaces of the lower substrate 24 to the formed connection portions 27A and 28A at the other end to constitute a transparent touch panel. Since the operation effective area can be formed on almost the entire lower surface of the upper substrate and the upper surface of the lower substrate, the transparent portion can be reduced in size while ensuring a predetermined effective operation area. T Panel in which can be obtained.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the rectangular transparent upper conductive layer formed on the lower surface side of the upper substrate has a predetermined distance from the rectangular transparent lower conductive layer formed on the upper surface side of the lower substrate. And the upper substrate and the lower substrate are arranged so that the upper electrode provided on one opposite side of the upper conductive layer is positioned orthogonal to the lower electrode provided on one opposite side of the lower conductive layer. In the transparent touch panel configured as described above, the lower substrate is provided with a connection electrode corresponding to each of the upper electrodes on one side portion on a side parallel to the lower electrode, and the connection A wiring board is attached to each of one end side of the electrode and the lead-out portion from each of the lower electrodes, and the connection of the upper electrode to the other end of the connection electrode is a side part to which the wiring board is attached. On the lower surface of the protruding portion of the upper substrate formed to protrude to the side It is assumed that a joint extending from the upper electrode is provided, and the protruding portion is bent to the side surface side where the wiring board of the lower substrate is mounted, and the upper electrode is connected to the upper electrode through the joint. The transparent touch panel is connected to the other end of the electrode. According to this, the advantageous effect that the transparent touch panel which can aim at the size reduction of the whole can be obtained, ensuring a predetermined operation effective area is acquired.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a transparent touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2A and 2B are external perspective views of the upper and lower substrates. FIG. 3A and FIG. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a conventional transparent touch panel. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the upper and lower substrates. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the same.
9 Spacer 11 Anisotropic conductive adhesive 20 Upper substrate 21 Upper conductive layers 22A and 22B Upper electrodes 23A and 23B Joint portion 24 Lower substrate 25 Lower conductive layers 26A and 26B Lower electrodes 27 and 28 Connection electrodes 27A and 28A Connection portions 27B and 28B Upper lead-out part 29A, 29B Lower lead-out part 30 Wiring board

Claims (1)

The rectangular transparent upper conductive layer formed on the lower surface side of the upper substrate maintains a predetermined distance from the rectangular transparent lower conductive layer formed on the upper surface side of the lower substrate, and the upper conductive layer A transparent touch panel in which the upper substrate and the lower substrate are arranged so that the upper electrode provided on one opposite side of the lower electrode is positioned in an orthogonal relationship with respect to the lower electrode provided on the opposite opposite side of the lower conductive layer. In the lower substrate, connection electrodes corresponding to the upper electrodes are individually provided on one side surface of the side parallel to the lower electrode, and each one end side of the connection electrode and the lower electrode are provided. A wiring board is attached to the lead-out part from each of the electrodes, and the connection of the upper electrode to the other end of the connection electrode is performed on the upper side protruding from the side surface part to which the wiring board is attached. It extends from the upper electrode on the lower surface of the protruding part of the substrate It is assumed that the joint portion is arranged, and the protruding portion is bent to the side surface portion side where the wiring board of the lower substrate is mounted, and the upper electrode is connected to the other end of the connection electrode through the joint portion. a transparent touch panel.

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