KR101375657B1 - Method for manufacturing large area touch panel by assembling multiple touch panels and large area touch panel - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a touch panel, and more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a large area touch panel by bonding a plurality of small touch panels.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a large-area touch panel through bonding of a plurality of touch panels, the method including: preparing a first substrate; Combining the plurality of touch panels, and electrically connecting electrode patterns of adjacent touch panels to each other.
According to the present invention, since a large area touch panel can be realized by connecting small touch panels, a large area touch panel can be easily manufactured using existing manufacturing facilities. Moreover, the defective rate is remarkably lowered compared to the method for manufacturing a large area touch panel directly.

Description

Method for manufacturing large area touch panel by joining a plurality of touch panels and a large area touch panel.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a touch panel, and more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a large area touch panel by bonding a plurality of small touch panels.

Touch screens are widely used as input means for smart phones, smart pads, and the like. Recently, due to the large area of various display devices, the appearance of new display devices such as promotional display devices and electronic blackboards, the demand for large area touch panels is rapidly increasing.

In order to cope with such a demand, a method of applying a manufacturing technology of a conventional small touch panel as it is as a manufacturing method of a large area touch panel has been attempted. However, in order to manufacture a large area touch panel, a new manufacturing facility has to be introduced, and there is a problem in that a large cost and time are required to set up a new facility. In addition, there is a problem that the production cost increases rapidly because the defective rate is remarkably increased by increasing the number of pixels required when producing a large area touch panel by the conventional method. In particular, since the ITO electrode used as the transparent electrode of the touch panel is very easily broken, the defective rate is further increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide a new manufacturing method which can easily manufacture a large area touch panel.

Moreover, it aims at providing a large area touch panel.

One embodiment of a large-area touch panel according to the present invention for achieving the above object, is coupled to the first substrate, the first substrate, and comprises a second substrate and an electrode pattern formed on the surface of the second substrate The touch panel may include a plurality of touch panels and connection electrodes connecting electrode patterns of adjacent touch panels to each other.

A resin layer for coupling the first substrate and the touch panels may be formed between the first substrate and the touch panels of the above-described large area touch panel.

It is preferable that the connection electrode is a silver electrode, and the silver electrode preferably has a width of 10 μm or less. This is because the transparency of the large area touch panel can be increased.

Adjacent touch panels of the large-area touch panel are separated from each other at regular intervals, and a resin layer may be formed between the touch panels, and the connection electrode is formed on the resin layer formed between the touch panels. Can be.

Another embodiment of the large-area touch panel according to the present invention for achieving the above object has a first substrate, a first surface coupled to the first substrate and a second surface parallel to the first surface, the second surface A plurality of lower substrates having first electrodes arranged in a first direction, first connecting electrodes connecting the first electrodes of adjacent lower substrates to each other, and a second surface coupled to the second surface of the lower substrates. A plurality of upper substrates having a third surface and a fourth surface parallel to the third surface and having second electrodes arranged on the fourth surface in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; It may include a second connection electrode for connecting the two electrodes to each other.

In the above-described embodiment, the lower substrates and the upper substrates may be bonded by an optically transparent adhesive film.

One embodiment of a method for manufacturing a large-area touch panel by bonding a plurality of touch panels according to the present invention for achieving the above object comprises the steps of providing a first substrate, the second substrate and the second substrate on the first substrate; The method may include coupling a plurality of touch panels including an electrode pattern formed on a surface of a second substrate, and electrically connecting electrode patterns of adjacent touch panels to each other.

One embodiment of a method for manufacturing a large-area touch panel by bonding a plurality of touch panels according to the present invention for achieving the above object comprises the steps of providing a first substrate, the second substrate and the second substrate on the first substrate; The method may include coupling a plurality of touch panels including an electrode pattern formed on a surface of a second substrate, and electrically connecting electrode patterns of adjacent touch panels to each other.

According to the present invention, since a large area touch panel can be realized by connecting small touch panels, a large area touch panel can be easily manufactured using existing manufacturing facilities. Moreover, the defective rate is remarkably lowered compared to the method for manufacturing a large area touch panel directly.

In one embodiment of the method for manufacturing a large-area touch panel by joining the plurality of touch panels as described above, combining the plurality of touch panels may include forming a resin layer on the first substrate; The method may include disposing a plurality of touch panels on the ground layer and curing the resin layer.

The electrically connecting the electrode patterns to each other may include transferring a silver ink using a soft mold.

Another embodiment of a method for manufacturing a large area touch panel by bonding a plurality of touch panels according to the present invention for achieving the above object is to prepare a first substrate, and to combine with the first substrate on the first substrate; Coupling a plurality of lower substrates having a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface and having first electrodes arranged in a first direction on the second surface; Electrically connecting the electrodes to each other, and having a third surface coupled to the second substrate and a fourth surface parallel to the third surface on the second surface of the lower substrate, the fourth surface being orthogonal to the first direction. The method may include combining a plurality of upper substrates on which second electrodes arranged in a second direction are formed, and electrically connecting second electrodes of adjacent upper substrates to each other.

According to the present invention, since a large area touch panel can be realized by connecting small touch panels, a large area touch panel can be easily manufactured using existing manufacturing facilities. Moreover, the defective rate is remarkably lowered compared to the method for manufacturing a large area touch panel directly.

1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a large area touch panel according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the large area touch panel illustrated in FIG. 1.
3 to 7 are views for explaining an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a large area touch panel by bonding a plurality of touch panels according to the present invention.
8 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a large area touch panel according to the present invention.
9 to 13 are views for explaining another embodiment of a method for manufacturing a large area touch panel by bonding a plurality of touch panels according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of a large area touch panel according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are provided by way of example so that those skilled in the art can fully understand the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, but may be embodied in other forms.

And in the drawings, the width, length, thickness, etc. of the components may be exaggerated for convenience. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

In the following description, when a layer is described as being on top of another layer, it may be directly on top of the other layer, with a third layer intervening therebetween.

1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a large-area touch panel according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the large-area touch panel shown in FIG. 1 and 2, one embodiment of a large-area touch panel according to the present invention includes a first substrate 10, a plurality of touch panels 20 coupled to the first substrate 10, and a touch panel. And a connection electrode 30 connecting the electrode patterns 22 of the 20 to each other.

In the present invention, the 'large area touch panel' refers to a large touch panel manufactured by combining a plurality of touch panels, and refers to small touch panels that are part of a 'touch panel' large area touch panel.

The first substrate 10 is for supporting the plurality of touch panels 20 and is made of film or glass. When used for touch screens, a transparent film or glass is used. When the electrode pattern of the touch panel 20 is ITO, it is preferable to use a glass substrate. Since ITO is a fragile material, it is advantageous to support the touch panel 20 using a rigid glass substrate as the first substrate 10.

Although not shown, a display device such as a liquid crystal display panel may be coupled to the bottom of the first substrate 10 to form a touch screen together with the large area touch panel of the present invention.

The touch panel 20 includes a second substrate 21 and an electrode pattern 22 formed on the surface of the second substrate 21. The second substrate 21 is made of film or glass, and when ITO is used as the electrode pattern 22, it is preferable to use a glass substrate.

Referring to FIG. 2, a surface of the second substrate 21 may have a Y-axis for sensing a contact in a Y-axis direction with a plurality of X-axis electrodes 221 arranged in the X-axis direction for detecting a contact in the X-axis direction. The electrode pattern 22 which consists of the some Y-axis electrode 222 arrange | positioned in the direction is formed.

The plurality of X-axis electrodes 221 and the Y-axis electrodes 222 are arranged to cross each other. In the portion where the X-axis electrode 221 and the Y-axis electrode 222 intersect, a connection pattern 224 connecting the insulating pattern 223 and the X-axis electrodes 221 to each other is formed to form the X-axis electrode 221 and the Y-axis electrode. The axial electrode 222 is electrically connected to the X-axis electrode 221 or the Y-axis electrode 222 which are different from each other.

The resin layer 40 is formed between the touch panels 20 and the first substrate 10. The resin layer 40 is for bonding the touch panels 20 to the first substrate 10. The resin layer 40 may use a thermosetting resin or an ultraviolet curable resin. The resin layer 40 preferably has a small difference in refractive index between the second substrate 21 and the first substrate 10 of the touch panel 20.

The touch panels 20 are disposed to be spaced apart from each other at regular intervals, and the resin layer 40 is formed between the touch panels 20. This is because a part of the resin flows between the touch panels 20 in the process of pressing the touch panel 20 to couple the first substrate 10 to each other.

The X-axis electrode 221 is electrically coupled to the X-axis electrode 221 of the touch panel 20 adjacent to the left and right, and the Y-axis electrode 222 is the Y-axis electrode of the touch panel 20 adjacent to the left and right ( 222) and electrically.

The electrode patterns 22 of the adjacent touch panels 20 are electrically coupled by the connection electrode 30. The connection electrode 30 may be a silver electrode. Since the silver electrode is opaque, but is almost invisible when there is a locally opaque region in the large-area touch panel 20 that is mostly transparent, an opaque silver electrode may be used as the connection electrode 30. At this time, it is preferable that the thickness of the connection electrode 30 is 10 micrometers or less. This is because the transparency of the large area touch panel can be increased.

Although not shown, the tempered glass or PMMA film is attached to the touch panel 20 by an optically clear adhesive (OCA) film.

In FIG. 2, six touch panels 20 are bonded to each other, but a larger number of touch panels may be used if necessary.

Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the large area touch panel mentioned above is demonstrated.

First, the first substrate 10 is washed and prepared. Glass, film, or the like may be used as the first substrate 10.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the resin solution 41 is coated on the first substrate 10. The resin solution 41 is applied by a rotary coating method. The coating thickness of the resin solution 41 can be adjusted through the rotational speed and the application time of the rotary coating device. As the resin, various polymers such as PDMS, polyamide, and PMMA can be used. Since the resin layer 40 is advantageously similar in refractive index to the first substrate 10, the resin layer 40 is selected according to the type of the first substrate 10.

As the method for applying the resin solution 41, various methods for applying the resin solution 41 to an appropriate thickness in addition to the rotary coating method may be used.

Next, the touch panels 20 are placed on the resin solution 41 layer of the first substrate 10, and the resin solution 41 is cured while pressing to bond the touch panels 20 and the first substrate 10 to each other. do. When the resin is thermosetting, it is cured by applying heat using a convection oven or the like, and when it is ultraviolet curable, it is cured by irradiating ultraviolet rays. The space between the adjacent touch panels 20 is filled by the resin solution 41 in the process of pressing the touch panel 20, and the resin solution 41 filled in the space between the touch panels 20 is also included. Cures.

4 illustrates a state in which curing of the resin solution 41 is completed and the resin layer 40 is formed.

Next, the X-axis electrode 221 and the Y-axis electrode 222 formed on the upper surface of the touch panels 20 are respectively attached to the X-axis electrode 221 and the Y-axis electrode 222 of the adjacent touch panels 20. Connect electrically. The electrodes 221 and 222 may be connected using silver electrodes.

As a method of forming the silver electrode, various methods such as photolithography, ink-jet printing, stencil printing, and gravure printing may be applied. It is preferable to use a method of transferring the silver ink. The space between the touch panels 20 at which the silver electrodes should be formed is filled with the resin layer 40, and the surface of the resin layer 40 is a bumpy surface rather than a smooth plane. Therefore, it is easier to form a silver electrode using a soft mold of a flexible property than other methods.

The method of transferring the silver ink using the soft mold is as follows. As shown in FIG. 5, the soft mold 1 in which the groove 2 is formed in the position which should form a silver electrode is produced. As shown in FIG. 6, the soft mold 1 is pressed toward the substrate 3 on which the high-viscosity silver ink 4 is uniformly applied, and the silver ink (1) is inserted into the groove 2 of the soft mold 1. 4) Warriors Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the soft mold such that the grooves 2 of the soft mold 1 to which the silver ink 4 is transferred are positioned between the electrodes 221 and 222 of the adjacent touch panels 20. After arranging (1), the soft mold 1 is pressed toward the touch panel 20 so that the silver ink 4 filled in the grooves 2 is placed on the resin layer 40 between the touch panels 20. Warriors In this case, the electrodes 221 and 222 of the touch panels 20 are connected by the silver ink 4. Next, the silver ink 4 is cured to form a silver electrode, which is the connection electrode 30.

8 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a large area touch panel according to the present invention. The large area touch panel shown in FIG. 8 differs in the type of touch panel used from the large area touch panel shown in FIG. 1. The present embodiment used a touch panel manufactured by forming an X-axis electrode and a Y-axis electrode on another plane as a touch panel. In addition, there is a difference in using the parts of the touch panel, not the completed touch panel.

In the touch panel of this embodiment, two sheets of second substrates 23 and 26 are used. An X-axis electrode 24 is formed on one substrate 23, and a Y-axis electrode 27 is formed on another substrate 26. Formed. The two second substrates 23 and 26 are bonded by an optically clear adhesive (OCA) film 50.

The manufacturing method of the large area touch panel according to the present embodiment is as follows.

First, the first substrate 10 is washed and prepared. Glass, film, or the like may be used as the first substrate 10. Next, a resin solution 41 layer is applied on the first substrate 10.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the lower second substrate 23 having the X-axis electrode 24 formed thereon is placed on the resin solution 41 layer of the first substrate 10, and cured under pressure. The substrates 23 and the first substrate 10 are combined.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the adjacent X-axis electrodes 24 are electrically connected using the connection electrode 31. The connection electrode 31 may be formed using the transfer method using the soft mold described above.

Next, as shown in FIG. 11, an optically transparent adhesive film 50 is attached onto the lower second substrates 23.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12, the upper second substrates 26 on which the Y-axis electrode 27 is formed are attached on the transparent adhesive film 50.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13, adjacent Y-axis electrodes 27 are electrically connected. The electrodes 27 may be connected using a silver electrode which is the connection electrode 32. The silver electrode may be formed by transferring a silver ink onto the optically transparent adhesive film using a soft mold and curing the silver ink.

The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, those skilled in the art within the spirit and claims of the present invention It will be understood that various changes, modifications, or substitutions may be made thereto, and such embodiments are to be understood as being within the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiments, a capacitive touch panel has been described, but a resistive touch panel may be used.

In addition, although the above-described embodiments have been described as using silver ink, it is also possible to use other conductive material inks such as metal nanowires, carbon nanotubes, and graphene.

10: first substrate 20: touch panel
21: second substrate 22: electrode pattern
30, 31, 32: connection electrode 40: resin layer

Claims (14)

The first substrate,
A plurality of touch panels coupled to the first substrate, the plurality of touch panels including an electrode pattern formed on a surface of the second substrate and the second substrate;
The large-area touch panel including connection electrodes connecting electrode patterns of the touch panels adjacent to each other while being separated from each other. The method of claim 1,
The large area touch panel having a resin layer formed between the first substrate and the touch panels to couple the first substrate and the touch panels. The method of claim 1,
The connection electrode is a large area touch panel is a silver electrode. The method of claim 3,
The silver electrode is a large area touch panel having a width of 10㎛ or less. delete The method of claim 1,
A large area touch panel having a resin layer formed between the touch panels. The method according to claim 6,
The connection electrode is a large area touch panel formed on a resin layer formed between the touch panels. delete Preparing a first substrate;
Coupling a plurality of touch panels including an electrode pattern formed on a surface of the second substrate and the second substrate on the first substrate;
Electrically connecting electrode patterns of adjacent touch panels to each other;
Combining the plurality of touch panels,
Forming a resin layer on the first substrate;
Disposing a plurality of touch panels on the resin layer;
Method of manufacturing a large-area touch panel through the bonding of a plurality of touch panels comprising the step of curing the resin layer. Preparing a first substrate;
Coupling a plurality of touch panels including an electrode pattern formed on a surface of the second substrate and the second substrate on the first substrate;
Electrically connecting electrode patterns of adjacent touch panels to each other;
Electrically connecting the electrode patterns to each other,
A method of manufacturing a large-area touch panel by bonding a plurality of touch panels, comprising transferring a silver ink using a soft mold. The first substrate,
A plurality of lower substrates having a first surface coupled to the first substrate and a second surface parallel to the first surface, and having first electrodes arranged in a first direction on the second surface;
First connection electrodes connecting the first electrodes of the adjacent lower substrates to each other;
A plurality of upper portions having a third surface coupled to the second surface of the lower substrates and a fourth surface parallel to the third surface, and having second electrodes arranged on the fourth surface in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; Substrates,
A large area touch panel including second connection electrodes connecting second electrodes of adjacent upper substrates to each other. 12. The method of claim 11,
And the lower substrates and the upper substrates are bonded by an optically transparent adhesive film. Preparing a first substrate;
A first surface coupled to the first substrate and a second surface parallel to the first surface on the first substrate, and coupling the plurality of lower substrates on which the first electrodes arranged in a first direction are formed on the second surface; Steps,
Electrically connecting first electrodes of adjacent lower substrates to each other;
On the second surface of the lower substrate, a third surface coupled to the lower substrate and a fourth surface parallel to the third surface, and second electrodes arranged on the fourth surface in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction Combining the plurality of upper substrates formed;
A method of manufacturing a large-area touch panel by bonding a plurality of touch panels comprising electrically connecting the second electrodes of the adjacent upper substrates with each other. 14. The method of claim 13,
Bonding the lower substrate and the upper substrate,
A method of manufacturing a large-area touch panel by bonding a plurality of touch panels, which is a step of bonding the lower substrate and the upper substrate using an optically transparent adhesive film.

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