JPH0628088A - Input panel and its production - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an input panel capable of reducing the depression force of an input pen at the time of input and dispensing with misinput by a hand concerning a simple input device installed on a display device to input an instruction or data into an information processor, especially a pen touch type input panel installed on the display surface of a liquid crystal display device and pressed by a stylus pen. CONSTITUTION:Spherical spacers 5 of two or more kinds having insulating property together with respectively different grain sizes are held and provided between the 1st substrate 13 consisting of an insulating layer 11 and a conductive layer 12 and the 2nd substrate 16 consisting of an insulating layer 14 and a conductive layer 15.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a simple input device mounted on a display device for inputting commands and data to an information processing device, and more particularly, a pen touch system mounted on a display surface of a liquid crystal display device and pressed by a tip of a stylus pen. Regarding the input panel of.

A keyboard is generally used as an input device for inputting commands and data to an information processing device, but the keyboard operation requires a little specialized knowledge and proficiency and is easily operated by anyone. is not. Therefore, various input panels to be mounted on a display device have been developed as simple input devices that can be easily operated by anyone.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing an example of a conventional input panel, and FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a conventional example of a method for forming an input panel.

A conventional resistance division type input panel 1 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), it is mounted on a display device 2 such as a liquid crystal display device and has a first substrate 13 composed of a transparent insulating layer 11 and a conductive layer 12 and a second substrate 13 composed of a transparent insulating layer 14 and a conductive layer 15. It comprises a substrate 16.

The conductive layer 12 of the first substrate 13 and the conductive layer 15 of the second substrate 16 are opposed to each other via an insulating spacer 17 arranged at equal intervals, and an input pen 3 such as a stylus pen is used. The conductive layer 12 comes into contact with the conductive layer 15 by pressing the flexible insulating layer 11 at the tip of the.

An equivalent circuit of such an input panel has a reference voltage V across both ends of a conductive layer 15 made of a resistor as shown in FIG. 4 (b).
_{When the ref} is applied and the insulating layer 11 is pressed down by the input pen 3, the conductive layer 12 made of a resistor provided in proximity to the conductive layer 15 comes into contact with the conductive layer 15.

By the contact of the conductive layer 12, the resistance of the conductive layer 15 is divided into R ₁ and R _2, and the divided reference voltage V _ref is applied to the conductive layer 12. The resistance R ₃ of the conductive layer 12 is grounded via the load resistance R, and a voltage V _out corresponding to the contact point is generated between the terminals of the load resistance R.

That is, the reference voltage V _ref is alternately applied between the terminals of the conductive layer 15 in the X direction and the Y direction by a time division method, and the terminal voltage V _out of the corresponding load resistance R is measured alternately. The coordinates of the position where the input pen 3 is pressed can be detected with.

In addition to the input pen, there is also a resistance-dividing type input panel in which the conductive layer can be brought into contact even when pressed with a fingertip. However, in such an input panel, the position of the input pen may become undetectable if the fingertip or the like is inadvertently touched before being pressed by the input pen.

Therefore, the pen input type input panel is shown in FIG.
As shown in (c), even if the fingertip 4 is pressed down, the conductive layer 12 remains
The trapezoidal or spherical spacers 17 are arranged at intervals such that the conductive layer 12 curved along the radius of curvature of the input pen 3 can pass therethrough so as not to come into contact with the.

Substrates 13 and 16 constituting such an input panel, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, transparent insulating layers 11 and 14 made of polycarbonate are coated with tin-containing indium oxide powder, polyester resin and cyclohexane paint. To produce the conductive layers 12 and 15.

The granules made of, for example, divinylbenzene resin to be the spacers 17 are mixed and dispersed in the coating material applied to the insulating layers 11 and 14, and the conductive layers 12 and 15 are formed by coating and drying the coating material. Spacers at appropriate intervals
17 can be attached.

A conductive layer 12 with an attached spacer 17 interposed therebetween,
The first substrate 13 and the second substrate 16 are overlapped so that 15 face each other, and the peripheral portions of the substrates 13 and 16 are joined via a spacer (not shown) having an appropriate thickness to form the input panel. It is formed.

[0014]

In the conventional input panel, if the spacer is raised, the opposing conductive layers will not come into contact with each other when pressed down with a fingertip or the like, but it is necessary to bring the opposing conductive layers into contact when inputting information. The pushing force of the input pen increases, and operator fatigue increases.

On the other hand, by lowering the spacer, the pressing force of the input pen required to bring the conductive layers into contact with each other is reduced, but the gap between the conductive layers facing each other is reduced and they are opposed when the fingertips or the like touch them carelessly. The conductive layer makes contact and the pressed position of the input pen becomes undetectable.

Further, the pressing force of the input pen required to bring the opposite conductive layers into contact with each other can be reduced by increasing the spacing between the spacers. There is a problem that the pressed position cannot be detected.

An object of the present invention is to provide an input panel capable of reducing the pressing force of the input pen at the time of input and free from erroneous input by hand.

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a principle view showing an input panel according to the present invention. Note that the same object is denoted by the same symbol throughout the drawings.

The above-mentioned problem is that two substrates composed of an insulating layer and a conductive layer are arranged so that the conductive layers face each other with an insulating spacer interposed therebetween. In an input panel in which the layers are in contact with each other, two or more kinds of spherical spacers 5 having insulating properties and different particle diameters are formed from the first substrate 13 including the insulating layer 11 and the conductive layer 12 This is achieved by the input panel of the present invention which is additionally provided on the second substrate 16.

[0020]

In the input panel of the present invention in which two or more kinds of spherical spacers having different particle diameters are attached on the first or second substrate in FIG. 1, a spacer having a small particle diameter is attached at the tip of the input pen. It is possible to reduce the pressing force of the input pen by pressing the part of the substrate that is touched.

Moreover, when the tip of the input pen is touched by, for example, a fingertip or the like, the spacer having a large grain size prevents the substrate from being pressed, and the spacer having a small grain size prevents the substrate from being pressed. The pressed position does not become undetectable.

That is, it is possible to realize an input panel in which the pressing force of the input pen at the time of input can be made small and there is no erroneous input by hand.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 2 is a side sectional view showing the operating principle of the input panel according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the input panel according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the input panel according to the present invention comprises a first substrate 13 and a second substrate 16 similar to the conventional input panel, and the first substrate 13 is a transparent insulating layer 11 and a conductive layer. 12
And a second substrate 16 formed of a transparent insulating layer 14 and a conductive layer 15
It is formed by.

The conductive layer 12 of the first substrate 13 and the conductive layer 15 of the second substrate 16 are opposed to each other through two or more kinds of spherical spacers 5 having different grain sizes, and the spacer 5 is the first substrate 13. Alternatively, it is attached so as not to move on the second substrate 16 (the second substrate 16 in the figure).

For example, two kinds of spacers 5 having different particle diameters are attached at intervals corresponding to the radius of curvature of the input pen 3 as shown in FIG. 2 (a), and the tip of the input pen 3 has flexibility. When the insulating layer 11 is pressed, the conductive layer 12 passes between the spacers 5 and comes into contact with the conductive layer 15.

In the initial state of pressing the insulating layer 11 with the tip of the input pen 3, the distance between the spacers 5 is wide and can be pressed with a small force, and after the conductive layer 12 contacts the spacer 5 having a small particle size. Also, the spacer 5 is low and the insulating layer 11 can be pressed with a small force.

However, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), since the radius of curvature of the fingertip 4 to the extent that the insulating layer 11 is lightly touched is larger than the radius of curvature of the input pen 3, it passes between the spacers 5 having a large grain size. Cannot pass between the spacers 5 having a small particle size, and the conductive layer
12 does not contact the conductive layer 15.

By the way, only the spacers having a particle diameter of 5 μm dispersed so that the distribution density is 200 pieces / cm ² are provided on the substrate 13 and the substrate.
When pressed with a polyacetal input pen having a tip radius of 1 mm, the pressing force required to bring the conductive layer into contact was 80 g.

On the other hand, when the same input panel is pressed with a jig made of silicone rubber having a tip radius of 10 mm instead of the fingertip, the pressing force required to bring the conductive layer into contact is as small as 300 g, and the fingertip is inadvertently touched. If touched, the pressed position of the input pen cannot be detected.

On the other hand, in the case of an input panel in which spacers having particle diameters of 5 μm and 3 μm are mixed and distributed so as to have a distribution density of 400 pieces / cm ² , the pressing force of the input pen required to bring the conductive layer into contact with each other. Is 80g, but the pressing force of the jig is more than 1kg, which makes input extremely difficult.

The input panel of the present invention in which two kinds of spherical spacers having different particle diameters are additionally provided on the substrate is formed according to the procedure shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, for example, in the second substrate 16, ITO or the like is deposited on the flexible transparent insulating layer 14 to form the conductive layer 15.

As shown in FIG. 3 (b), the particle sizes are 5 μm and 3 μm.
The surface of the insulating beads 51 of is covered with the adhesive layer 52 2
The spacers 5 of a kind are mixed in a low boiling point organic solvent such as ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, sufficiently dispersed using ultrasonic waves, and then sprayed.

For example, 0.2 to 3.0 g of spacers 5 mixed so as to have a predetermined distribution density are mixed in 100 cc of a low boiling point organic solvent, and the second boiling point is evaporated by evaporating the low boiling point organic solvent. Two types of spacers 5 are appropriately dispersed on the substrate 16.

On the other hand, the transparent transparent insulating layer 11 having flexibility has IT
First substrate 13 on which conductive layer 12 is formed by vapor deposition of O or the like
As shown in FIG. 3 (c), an adhesive material 18 for bonding to the opposed second substrate 16 is spread on the peripheral portion in advance by a screen printing method or the like.

The second substrate 16 on which the spacers 5 are scattered
When the first substrate 13 is superposed on the substrate, a pressure of 0.5 to 3.0 kg / cm ² is applied, and the substrate is heated at a predetermined temperature (100 to 150 ° C.), the first substrate 13 becomes an adhesive material as shown in FIG. 3 (d). It is bonded to the second substrate 16 via 18.

Further, the adhesive layer 52 covering the surface of the insulating beads 51 is softened by heating and the spacers 5 are bonded to the second substrate 16, and at the same time, they are brought into contact with the spacers 5 having a large particle size by pressurization. The first substrate 13 and the second substrate 16 are bonded via the spacer 5.

In the input panel of the present invention in which two or more kinds of spherical spacers having different particle sizes are provided on the first or second substrate, the spacer having a small particle size is provided at the tip of the input pen. It is possible to reduce the pressing force of the input pen by pressing the part of the substrate that is touched. In addition, when a fingertip or the like that is larger than the tip of the input pen touches the substrate, the spacer having a large particle diameter prevents the substrate from being pressed, and the spacer having a smaller particle diameter prevents the substrate from being pressed. It never goes undetected.

That is, it is possible to realize an input panel in which the pressing force of the input pen at the time of input can be reduced, and there is no erroneous input by hand. Further, in the conventional input panel, since the spacer is not joined to the opposite substrate, the input load when pressing is varied, and when the insulating layer forming the substrate is flexible, the operating environment such as temperature and humidity may change. The substrate may be deformed due to the change.

However, in the input panel according to the present invention, the spacers are bonded to the opposite substrate, so that there is no variation in the input load at the time of pressing, and even when the insulating layer constituting the substrate has flexibility. The substrate does not deform due to changes in the usage environment.

It should be noted that the ITO deposited on the transparent insulating layer by a vapor deposition method as a conductive layer facing each other with a spacer interposed therebetween.
In addition to the film and the SnO ₂ film, the ITO film and the Sn film deposited on the transparent insulating layer by the vapor deposition method such as the sputtering method or the CVD method.
An O ₂ film or the like may be used.

Further, the material forming the insulating beads has only to have an excellent insulating property and a softness so as not to damage the conductive layer on the transparent insulating layer, and acrylic or urethane is used as an adhesive material or an adhesive material for joining substrates. Examples thereof include rubber-based, rubber-like epoxy-based, and silicon-based resins.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an input panel in which the pressing force of the input pen at the time of input can be reduced, and erroneous input by hand can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle view showing an input panel according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the operating principle of the input panel according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the input panel according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing an example of a conventional input panel.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a conventional example of a method for forming an input panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Input pen 4 Fingertips 5 Spacer 11, 14 Insulating layer 12, 15 Conductive layer 13, 16 Substrate 18 Adhesive material 51 Insulating beads 52 Adhesive material layer

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tatsumi Otsuka 1015 Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Fujitsu Limited

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A substrate comprising an insulating layer and a conductive layer is disposed such that the conductive layers face each other with an insulating spacer interposed therebetween, and one substrate is pressed by an input pen so that the pressed portion is pressed. Two or more kinds of spherical spacers having insulating properties and different particle sizes in an input panel in which conductive layers are in contact with each other
The first substrate (1) (5) is composed of an insulating layer (11) and a conductive layer (12).
3) Or an input panel characterized by being provided on a second substrate (16) comprising an insulating layer (14) and a conductive layer (15). 2. Two or more types of spacers according to claim 1.
An input panel characterized in that (5) has an adhesive layer (52) on its surface. 3. An input panel, characterized in that the two substrates (13, 16) according to claim 1 are joined via a spacer (5) having an adhesive layer (52) on the surface. 4. The two or more kinds of spacers (5) having an adhesive layer (52) on the surface when manufacturing the input panel according to claim 1.
And a spacer (5) is additionally provided on the first substrate (13) or the second substrate (16). 5. The two substrates (13, 16) facing each other with a spacer (5) sandwiched between them when manufacturing the input panel according to claim 1.
Is joined by an adhesive layer (52) formed on the surface of the spacer (5).