KR101073161B1 - Touch screen panel - Google Patents

Abstract

A touch screen panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of connection patterns arranged in a first direction on a display area of a transparent substrate; An insulating layer formed in an island shape to expose end portions of the connection patterns on the connection patterns; First sensing cells arranged in contact with the ends of the exposed connection patterns and electrically connected to each other, and arranged in the first direction; A plurality of second sensing cells arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction on the display area; The adjacent second sensing cells are connected to each other and include connecting portions formed on the island-type insulating layer. The connecting pattern is formed of the same material as the sensing cells and is formed thicker than the sensing cells. It is characterized by.

Description

Touch screen panel {Touch Screen Panel}

The present invention relates to a touch screen panel, and more particularly, to a touch screen panel which is integrally formed on an upper substrate of a flat panel display device.

The touch screen panel is an input device that allows a user to input a command by selecting an instruction displayed on a screen of a video display device or the like as a human hand or an object.

To this end, the touch screen panel is provided on the front face of the image display device to convert a contact position in direct contact with a human hand or an object into an electrical signal. Accordingly, the instruction content selected at the contact position is received as an input signal. Such a touch screen panel can be replaced with a separate input device connected to the image display device such as a keyboard and a mouse, and the use range thereof is gradually expanding.

As a method of implementing a touch screen panel, a resistive film method, a light sensing method, and a capacitive method are known.

Among them, the capacitive touch screen panel converts a contact position into an electrical signal by detecting a change in capacitance formed by a conductive sensing pattern when the human hand or an object comes into contact with another sensing pattern or a ground electrode. do.

Here, in order to clearly determine the contact position on the contact surface, the sensing pattern may include first sensing patterns (X patterns) formed to be connected in the first direction and second sensing patterns formed to be connected in the second direction ( Y patterns).

In the related art, the first and second sensing patterns are disposed on different layers, respectively. That is, for example, the first sensing patterns are located in the lower layer, the second sensing patterns are located in the upper layer, and an insulating film is interposed therebetween.

However, in the case where the respective sensing patterns are formed on different layers in this way, the sheet resistance of the transparent conductive material (for example, ITO) used as the sensing patterns is large, and thus, a connection part connecting the sensing patterns located on the same layer to reduce them. Although the width is wider, the overlap area of each connection part located in the upper and lower layers becomes larger, and thus the parasitic capacitance of the connection becomes larger, so that the sensing sensitivity of each sensing pattern is lowered.

In order to overcome this disadvantage, the first and second sensing patterns are formed on the same layer, and the sensing patterns of one of the first and second sensing patterns are formed through separate connection patterns formed on another layer. Can connect

In this case, the connection pattern may implement a transparent conductive material or a low resistance opaque metal.

However, when the connection pattern is made of a transparent conductive material, the resistance value of the connection pattern is high and there is a limit to narrow the width. Accordingly, parasitic capacitance generated at the intersection of the first and second sensing cells. The disadvantage is that it can not reduce the impact.

In addition, when the connection pattern is implemented as a low resistance opaque metal, the width of the connection pattern may be minimized to reduce the influence of parasitic capacitance generated in the cross region, but the charges passing through the connection pattern may be in a narrow space. It is concentrated and the connection pattern is located on the insulating film has a disadvantage of being vulnerable to static electricity applied from the outside.

In addition, when the connection pattern is formed of an opaque metal having a low resistance, the external light reflectance is significantly higher than that of the transparent conductive material due to the characteristics of the opaque metal.

The present invention forms the first and second sensing cells formed of a transparent conductive material on the same layer, the connecting pattern connecting the first or second sensing cells with the same material as the sensing cell than the thickness of the sensing cell An object of the present invention is to provide a thick touch screen panel.

In order to achieve the above object, a touch screen panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of connection patterns arranged in a first direction on a display area of a transparent substrate; An insulating layer formed in an island shape to expose end portions of the connection patterns on the connection patterns; First sensing cells arranged in contact with the ends of the exposed connection patterns and electrically connected to each other, and arranged in the first direction; A plurality of second sensing cells arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction on the display area; The adjacent second sensing cells are connected to each other and include connecting portions formed on the island-type insulating layer. The connecting pattern is formed of the same material as the sensing cells and is formed thicker than the sensing cells. It is characterized by.

Further, metal patterns formed in the non-display area outside the display area and electrically connected to the first sensing cell and the second sensing cell positioned at the end of the display area, respectively.

In addition, the metal pattern is partially overlapped with each other, and an auxiliary pattern for electrically connecting the metal pattern and the first or second sensing cell is further formed, and the auxiliary pattern has the same material and the same thickness as the connection pattern. Is formed.

In addition, the first and second sensing cells are implemented with a transparent conductive material.

According to the present invention, the first and second sensing cells formed of a transparent conductive material are formed on the same layer, and the connection pattern connecting the first or second sensing cells is sensed with the same material as the sensing cell. By forming a thicker than the thickness of the cell to improve the electrostatic vulnerability of the connection pattern, there is an advantage that can overcome the electrostatic discharge (ESD) problem.

1 is a plan view illustrating an arrangement of sensing patterns formed on a touch screen panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a particular portion II ′ of FIG. 1. FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an arrangement of sensing patterns formed on a touch screen panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a specific portion I-I 'of FIG. 1.

However, this will be described as an example of 2X2 sensing patterns positioned at one end of the display area among the first and second sensing patterns arranged in the display area.

1 and 2, the sensing patterns according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention are formed in the display area of the transparent substrate 10 partitioned into the display area and the non-display area formed outside the display area. The first and second sensing patterns 120 and 140 may be alternately arranged to be connected to each other in a single column or in a row of the same Y coordinates.

That is, the first sensing patterns 120 are composed of first sensing cells 122 arranged in one column having the same X coordinate and connection patterns 124 connecting the adjacent first sensing cells 122 to each other. The second sensing patterns 140 may include second sensing cells 142 arranged in one row having the same Y coordinate, and a connection part 144 connecting the adjacent second sensing cells 142 to each other. do.

In this case, in the embodiment of the present invention, the first sensing cells 122 and the second sensing cells 142 are formed on the same layer, and the first and second sensing cells 122 and 142 are formed. In order to realize the operation of the touch screen panel, the first and second sensing cells 122 and 142 are made of a transparent conductive material, for example, indium tin oxide (ITO). It is preferred to be implemented.

In addition, in order for the first sensing cells 122 and the second sensing cells 142 to function as sensing electrodes, the sensing cells arranged in the first direction and the second direction must be electrically connected to each other.

Accordingly, the first sensing cells 122 are electrically connected to each other by the connection pattern 124, and the second sensing cells 142 are electrically connected to each other by the connection part 144.

At this time, the connecting portion 144 is formed integrally with the second sensing cells 142, and adjacent second sensing cells 142 are all connected through the connecting portion 144.

That is, the connection part 144 is made of the same transparent conductive material as the second sensing cell 142.

In contrast, the connection pattern 124 is formed on a separate layer to electrically connect the adjacent first sensing cells 122.

That is, since the second sensing cell 142, the connection part 144, and the first detection cell 122 are formed on the same layer, the connection pattern 124 intersecting with the connection part 144 may prevent the short circuit. It cannot be formed on the same layer as the first and second sensing cells 122 and 142.

 Accordingly, in the embodiment of the present invention, the connection pattern 124 is formed on the lower layer of the first and second sensing cells 122 and 142.

In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention, the connection pattern 124 is formed of the same material as the first and second sensing cells 122 and 142, but has a thickness of the first and second sensing cells 122 and 142. It is characterized by being formed thicker than.

For example, the first and second sensing cells 122 and 142 may be formed to have a thickness of about 200 to 300Å, and the connection pattern 124 may be formed to have a thickness of about 700 to 1200Å.

As a result, the resistance of the connection pattern 124 may be lowered, thereby facilitating charge flow in the connection portion of the first sensing cell 122, thereby improving the sensing sensitivity of the sensing cell.

That is, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the first and second sensing cells 122 and 124 may be kept thin as in the past to ensure high transmittance, and at the same time reduce the wiring resistance as a whole, thereby reducing the connection pattern 124. This can increase the reliability of ESD evaluation generated in the

In addition, a metal pattern formed in a non-display area adjacent to an end of the display area in which the first and second sensing cells 122 and 142 are formed to supply a signal sensed by the sensing cells to a driving circuit (not shown) side ( 160 is formed.

That is, an area in which the plurality of sensing patterns 120 and 140 are formed is a display area in which an image is displayed to detect a touch position, and the metal patterns 160 electrically connected to the sensing patterns 120 and 140. The region where the holes are formed is a non-display area provided outside the display area.

Here, in the embodiment of the present invention, as shown, the auxiliary pattern 162 having the same material and the same thickness as the connection pattern 124 is formed in a portion overlapping with the metal pattern 160, and thus The metal pattern 160 is electrically connected to the first and second sensing cells 122 and 142 through the auxiliary pattern 162, respectively.

In addition, an insulating layer 130 having an island shape is formed in an area between the connection pattern 124 and the connection part 144 overlapping each other to prevent a short circuit between the connection pattern 124 and the connection part 144. Is formed. In addition, the island-type insulating layer 130 is also formed on a region including the metal pattern 160. Here, the insulating layer 130 is an inorganic insulating film of a transparent material, it is preferably implemented by a silicon oxide film (SiO2) or a silicon nitride film (SiNx).

As a result, the connection pattern 124 is located below the insulating layer 130, thereby improving the electrostatic vulnerability of the connection pattern, thereby overcoming an electrostatic discharge (ESD) problem.

In this case, as shown, the island-type insulating layer 130 does not cover all of the connection pattern 124, but contacts both ends of the connection pattern 124, that is, the first sensing cell 122. The connection pattern 124 and the first sensing cell 122 are electrically connected to each other, except that the contact pattern 124 is formed in a region excluding the portion to be formed.

In addition, the insulating layer 130 formed on the metal pattern 160 is also formed to expose a portion contacting the first sensing cell 122 and the second sensing cell 142, and transmits a signal to the driving circuit. In order to contact the FPC, the pad part 164 is exposed to the outside of the insulating layer 130.

However, in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the pad part 164 is formed of the same material as the connection pattern 124 and the auxiliary pattern 162.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

120: first sensing pattern 122: first sensing cell
124: connection pattern 130: insulating layer
140: second sensing pattern 142: second sensing cell
144: connection portion 160: metal pattern
162: auxiliary pattern 164: pad portion

Claims (5)

A plurality of connection patterns arranged in a first direction on the display area of the transparent substrate;
An insulating layer formed in an island shape to expose end portions of the connection patterns on the connection patterns;
First sensing cells arranged in contact with the ends of the exposed connection patterns and electrically connected to each other, and arranged in the first direction;
A plurality of second sensing cells arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction on the display area;
And connecting the adjacent second sensing cells to each other and including connection parts formed on the island-type insulating layer.
The connection pattern is formed of the same material as the first and second sensing cells, is formed thicker than the first and second sensing cells,
And a metal pattern formed on the non-display area outside the display area and electrically connected to the first sensing cell and the second sensing cell located at the end of the display area, respectively. delete The method of claim 1,
The touch screen panel is formed to partially overlap with each of the metal patterns, and further comprises an auxiliary pattern for electrically connecting the metal pattern and the first or second sensing cell. The method of claim 3,
The auxiliary pattern is a touch screen panel, characterized in that formed with the same material and the same thickness as the connection pattern. The method of claim 1,
And the first and second sensing cells are made of a transparent conductive material.

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