KR102288813B1 - Touch window - Google Patents

Abstract

A touch window according to the first embodiment includes: a substrate; a sensing electrode and a wiring electrode disposed on the substrate, wherein the sensing electrode includes a first mesh shape of a first pitch, and the wiring electrode includes a second mesh shape of a second pitch, , the sizes of the first pitch and the second pitch are different from each other.
A touch window according to a second embodiment includes: a substrate; a sensing electrode and a wiring electrode disposed on the substrate, wherein the sensing electrode includes a first mesh shape of a first pitch, and the wiring electrode includes a second mesh shape of a second pitch a first wiring electrode; a second wiring electrode including a third mesh shape of a third pitch; a third wiring electrode including a fourth mesh shape having a fourth pitch; and a fourth wiring electrode having a fifth mesh shape with a fifth pitch, wherein the size of the first pitch and at least one of the second to fifth pitches is different from each other.

Description

touch window {TOUCH WINDOW}

Embodiments relate to touch windows.

Recently, in various electronic products, a touch panel for inputting an image by contacting an input device such as a finger or a stylus to an image displayed on a display device has been applied.

The touch panel may be typically divided into a resistive touch panel and a capacitive touch panel. In the resistive touch panel, when pressure is applied to the input device, the position is detected by detecting the change in resistance according to the connection between the electrodes. In the capacitive touch panel, a position is detected by detecting a change in capacitance between electrodes when a finger touches it. In consideration of the convenience and sensing power of the manufacturing method, the capacitive method has recently been attracting attention for small models.

The touch panel may detect a position by arranging a sensing electrode and a wiring electrode connected to the sensing electrode on a substrate, and sensing a change in capacitance when a region in which the sensing electrode is disposed is touched.

In this case, the sensing electrode and the wiring electrode may be disposed on one surface of the substrate using one substrate or may be disposed on one surface of each substrate using a plurality of substrates.

When the sensing electrode and the wiring electrode are disposed on one surface of the substrate using a single substrate, the wiring electrode may be drawn out in various directions. For example, the wiring electrode may be disposed extending from an effective area to an ineffective area. .

In this case, when the wiring electrodes disposed on the effective area include metal, there is a problem in that the wiring electrodes may be visually recognized from the outside.

Accordingly, there is a need for a touch window having a new structure capable of solving the above problems.

The embodiment intends to provide a touch window with improved reliability and visibility.

A touch window according to the first embodiment includes: a substrate; a sensing electrode and a wiring electrode disposed on the substrate, wherein the sensing electrode includes a first mesh shape of a first pitch, and the wiring electrode includes a second mesh shape of a second pitch, , the sizes of the first pitch and the second pitch are different from each other.

A touch window according to a second embodiment includes: a substrate; a sensing electrode and a wiring electrode disposed on the substrate, wherein the sensing electrode includes a first mesh shape of a first pitch, and the wiring electrode includes a second mesh shape of a second pitch a first wiring electrode; a second wiring electrode including a third mesh shape of a third pitch; a third wiring electrode including a fourth mesh shape having a fourth pitch; and a fourth wiring electrode having a fifth mesh shape with a fifth pitch, wherein the size of the first pitch and at least one of the second to fifth pitches is different from each other.

The touch window according to the embodiment may include a wire electrode having a mesh pitch smaller than a mesh pitch of the sensing electrode. For example, the mesh pitch of the wiring electrode according to the embodiment may be about 0.5 times larger than the mesh pitch of the sensing electrode. That is, the mesh pitch of the wiring electrodes may be half of the mesh pitch of the sensing electrodes.

Accordingly, the line width of one wiring electrode connected to one sensing electrode may be reduced. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the non-touch area according to the line width of the wiring electrode disposed on the effective area.

In addition, another wiring electrode, that is, another wiring electrode connected to another sensing electrode, is formed in a shape complementary to the adjacent wiring electrode, and the combined shape of the two wiring electrodes and the shape of the sensing electrode are formed in the same mesh shape. By preventing the formed wiring electrode and the sensing electrode from being visually recognized from the outside, visibility of the touch window may be improved.

Accordingly, the touch window according to the embodiment may increase the touch area by reducing the width of the wiring electrode, and may improve visibility.

1 is a diagram illustrating a simplified perspective view of a touch window according to an embodiment.
2 is a diagram illustrating a top view of a touch window according to an embodiment.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion A of FIG. 2 , which is an enlarged view of a wiring electrode.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion B of FIG. 2 , which is an enlarged view of a wiring electrode.
5 to 7 are cross-sectional views illustrating an electrode formation process of a sensing electrode and/or a wiring electrode according to an embodiment.
8 to 11 are diagrams illustrating an example of a touch device apparatus to which a touch window according to an embodiment is applied.

In the description of embodiments, each layer (film), region, pattern or structure is “on” or “under” the substrate, each layer (film), region, pad or patterns. The description of being formed in " includes all those formed directly or through another layer. The standards for the upper/above or lower/lower layers of each layer will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the drawings, the thickness or size of each layer (film), region, pattern, or structure may be changed for clarity and convenience of description, and thus does not fully reflect the actual size.

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

1 to 4 , the touch window according to the embodiment may include a cover substrate 100 , a substrate 200 , a sensing electrode 300 , a wiring electrode 400 , and a printed circuit board 500 . .

The cover substrate 100 may be rigid or flexible. For example, the cover substrate 100 may include glass or plastic. In detail, the cover substrate 100 may include chemically strengthened glass such as soda lime glass or aluminosilicate glass, or plastic such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

The substrate 200 may be disposed on the cover substrate 100 . The substrate 200 may support the sensing electrode 300 and/or the wiring electrode 400 . That is, the substrate 200 may be a support substrate supporting the sensing electrode 300 and/or the wiring electrode 400 .

The substrate 200 may be flexible. For example, the substrate 200 may include plastic. In detail, the substrate 200 may include plastic such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

An effective area AA and an ineffective area UA may be defined in the cover substrate 100 and/or the substrate 200 .

A display may be displayed in the effective area AA, and a display may not be displayed in the ineffective area UA disposed around the effective area AA.

In addition, the position of the input device (eg, a finger, etc.) may be detected in at least one of the effective area AA and the non-effective area UA. When an input device such as a finger is in contact with the touch window, a difference in capacitance occurs at a portion in contact with the input device, and the portion in which the difference occurs may be detected as a contact position.

The sensing electrode 300 may be disposed on the substrate 200 . In detail, the sensing electrode 300 may be disposed in at least one of the effective area AA and the ineffective area UA of the substrate 200 . Preferably, the sensing electrode 300 may be disposed on the effective area AA of the substrate.

The sensing electrode 300 may include a first sensing electrode 310 and a second sensing electrode 320 .

The first sensing electrode 310 and the second sensing electrode 320 may be disposed on one surface of the substrate 200 . in details. The first sensing electrode 310 and the second sensing electrode 320 may be disposed on the same surface of the substrate 200 . That is, the first sensing electrode 310 and the second sensing electrode 320 may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other so as not to contact each other on the same surface of the substrate 200 .

At least one sensing electrode of the first sensing electrode 310 and the second sensing electrode 320 may include a transparent conductive material to allow electricity to flow without interfering with the transmission of light, for example, the sensing The electrode 300 includes indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, copper oxide, tin oxide, zinc oxide, and titanium oxide. It may contain metal oxides, such as.

Alternatively, the sensing electrode 200 may include nanowires, a photosensitive nanowire film, carbon nanotubes (CNT), graphene, or a conductive polymer.

Alternatively, the sensing electrode 200 may include various metals. For example, the sensing electrode 200 may include at least one of chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), molybdenum (Mo), and alloys thereof. may include

At least one of the first sensing electrode 310 and the second sensing electrode 320 may include a mesh shape. In detail, at least one sensing electrode of the first sensing electrode 310 and the second sensing electrode 320 may include a plurality of sub-electrodes, and the sub-electrodes may be disposed while crossing each other in a mesh shape.

In detail, referring to FIG. 3 , at least one sensing electrode of the first sensing electrode 310 and the second sensing electrode 320 is formed by a mesh line LA by a plurality of sub-electrodes crossing each other in a mesh shape. and a mesh opening OA between the mesh lines. In this case, the line width of the mesh line LA may be about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm. The mesh line portion LA having a line width of less than about 0.1 μm may be impossible in the manufacturing process, and when it exceeds about 10 μm, the sensing electrode pattern may be visually recognized from the outside and visibility may be reduced. Alternatively, the line width of the mesh line LA may be about 1 μm to about 5 μm. Alternatively, the line width of the mesh line LA may be about 1.5 μm to about 3 μm.

The mesh opening OA may be formed in various shapes. For example, the mesh opening OA may have various shapes, such as a rectangular shape, a diamond shape, a pentagonal shape, a hexagonal polygonal shape, or a circular shape. In addition, the mesh opening OA may be formed in a regular shape or a random shape.

Also, the sensing electrode 300 having a mesh shape may have a first mesh shape having a first pitch. That is, the distance between the mesh line of the sensing electrode 300 and the mesh line may be defined as the first pitch P1 .

Since the sensing electrode has a mesh shape, the pattern of the sensing electrode may not be visible on the effective area AA. That is, even if the sensing electrode is formed of a metal, the pattern may be invisible. In addition, even when the sensing electrode is applied to a large-sized touch window, the resistance of the touch window may be lowered.

5 to 7 are views for explaining an electrode forming process of a sensing electrode and/or a wiring electrode according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the sensing electrode and/or the wiring electrode according to the embodiment is a mesh-shaped electrode by disposing a metal layer 330 on the front surface of the substrate 200 and etching the metal layer 330 in a mesh shape. can form. For example, a metal layer such as copper (Cu) is deposited on the entire surface of the substrate 200 such as polyethylene terephthalate, and the copper layer is etched to form a copper metal mesh electrode having a embossed mesh shape. can do.

Alternatively, referring to FIG. 6 , the sensing electrode and/or the wiring electrode according to the embodiment forms a resin layer 210 including a UV resin or a thermosetting resin layer on the substrate 200, and then the resin layer 210 ) after forming a mesh-shaped engraved pattern P on the engraved pattern, a metal paste 340 may be filled in the engraved pattern. In this case, the engraved pattern of the resin layer may be formed by imprinting a mold having the embossed pattern.

The metal paste 220 may be a metal paste including at least one of Cr, Ni, Cu, Al, Ag, Mo, and alloys thereof. Accordingly, by filling the metal paste in the intaglio pattern P of the mesh shape and then curing, it is possible to form a metal mesh electrode in the intaglio mesh shape.

Alternatively, referring to FIG. 7 , the sensing electrode and/or the wiring electrode according to the embodiment forms a resin layer including a UV resin or a thermosetting resin layer on the substrate 200 , and then forms a mesh on the resin layer 210 . After forming the embossed nanopatterns and micropatterns of the shape, at least one metal of Cr, Ni, Cu, Al, Ag, Mo, and alloys thereof may be sputtered on the resin layer.

In this case, the nano-pattern 211 and the micro-pattern 212 may be formed by imprinting a mold M having an intaglio pattern.

Then, by etching the metal layer formed on the nano-pattern and the micro-pattern to remove only the metal layer formed on the nano-pattern, and leaving only the metal layer formed on the micro-pattern, a mesh-shaped metal electrode can be formed.

In this case, when etching the metal layer, a difference in etching rate may occur according to a difference in bonding area between the nano-pattern and the micro-pattern and the metal layer. That is, since the bonding area of the micro-pattern and the gold layer is larger than the bonding area of the nano-pattern and the metal layer, the etching of the electrode material 215 formed on the micro-pattern occurs less, and according to the same etching rate, The metal layer formed thereon remains, and as the metal layer formed on the nanopattern 320 is etched and removed, a metal electrode having a micropatterned embossed mesh shape may be formed on the substrate 200 .

The sensing electrode and/or the wiring electrode of the touch window according to the embodiment may be formed of a mesh-shaped electrode including a metal layer as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 described above.

The wire electrode 400 may be disposed while being connected to the sensing electrode 300 . The wiring electrode 400 may be disposed on at least one of the effective area AA and the non-effective area UA of the substrate 200 . In detail, the wiring electrode 400 may be disposed in the effective area AA and the ineffective area UA of the substrate 200 . That is, the wiring electrode 400 may be disposed to extend from the non-effective area to the effective area of the substrate 200 .

The wiring electrode 400 may extend in a direction of the ineffective region to be connected to the printed circuit board 500 . Also, the wiring electrode 400 may be disposed on the same surface of the substrate 200 on which the first sensing electrode 310 and the second sensing electrode 320 are disposed.

In addition, the wiring electrode 400 may include the same or similar material to the sensing electrode described above. Referring to FIG. 3 , the wiring electrode 400 is the same as the sensing electrode 300 as described above. It may have a mesh shape. In detail, the wire electrode 400 may include a second mesh shape having a second pitch. That is, the distance between the mesh line and the mesh line of the wiring electrode 400 may be defined as the second pitch P2 .

The first pitch P1 of the first mesh shape of the sensing electrode 300 and the second pitch P2 of the second mesh shape of the wiring electrode 400 may have different sizes. In detail, the second pitch P2 may have a smaller size than the first pitch P1 . For example, the second pitch P2 may have a size of about 0.1 to about 0.9 times that of the first pitch P1 . Alternatively, the second pitch P2 may have a size of about 0.2 to about 0.8 times that of the first pitch P1 . Alternatively, the second pitch P2 may have a size of about 0.3 times to about 0.6 times that of the first pitch P1 .

Alternatively, the second pitch P2 may have a size of about 0.5 times that of the first pitch P1 . That is, the second pitch P2 may have a half size of the first pitch P1 .

Referring to FIG. 4 , the wiring electrode may include a first wiring electrode 410 , a second wiring electrode, a third wiring electrode 430 , and a fourth wiring electrode 440 .

In detail, the wire electrode 400 includes a first wire electrode 410 having a second mesh shape with a second pitch P2, and a second wire electrode 410 including a third mesh shape with a third pitch P3 ( 420), a third wire electrode 430 having a fourth mesh shape with a fourth pitch P4, and a fourth wire electrode 440 having a fifth mesh shape with a fifth pitch P5 may be included. there is.

The first wire electrode 410 to the fourth wire electrode 440 are respectively connected to other sensing electrodes, and may extend from the effective area to the ineffective area, that is, in the same direction.

In addition, the sensing electrode 300 may include a first mesh shape with a first pitch P1 .

The first mesh shape may have a shape different from that of at least one of the second mesh shape, the third mesh shape, the fourth mesh shape, and the fifth mesh shape. In detail, the first mesh shape may have a shape different from the second mesh shape, the third mesh shape, the fourth mesh shape, and the fifth mesh shape.

In addition, the second mesh shape, the third mesh shape, the fourth mesh shape, and the fifth mesh shape may have the same or different shapes. In detail, the second mesh shape and the third mesh shape may have complementary shapes. Also, the fourth mesh shape and the fifth mesh shape may have complementary shapes.

That is, a shape in which the second mesh shape and the third mesh shape are combined and a shape in which the fourth mesh shape and the fifth mesh shape are combined may be substantially the same as the first mesh shape.

In addition, the first pitch P1 is different from the size of at least one of the second pitch P2, the third pitch P3, the fourth pitch P4, and the fifth pitch P5. can In detail, the first pitch P1 may be different from the sizes of the second pitch P2 , the third pitch P3 , the fourth pitch P4 , and the fifth pitch P5 . In more detail, the first pitch P1 may be larger than sizes of the second pitch P2 , the third pitch P3 , the fourth pitch P4 , and the fifth pitch P5 .

Also, the first pitch P1 may be substantially equal to the sum of the second pitch P2 and the third pitch P3 . Alternatively, the first pitch P1 may be substantially equal to the sum of the fourth pitch P4 and the fifth pitch P5 . Alternatively, the sum of the second pitch P2 and the third pitch P3 and the sum of the fourth pitch P4 and the fifth pitch P5 may be substantially the same.

Here, the term "substantially identical" does not mean only a case in which the lengths of the pitches are completely the same, and may include cases in which the lengths of the pitches are slightly different due to manufacturing processes, tolerances, and other variables.

That is, the sum of the lengths of the second pitch P2 and the third pitch P3 and the sum of the lengths of the fourth pitch P4 and the fifth pitch P5 may correspond to each other.

In addition, at least one of the second pitch P2 , the third pitch P3 , the fourth pitch P4 , and the fifth pitch P5 is about 0.1 with respect to the first pitch P1 . It may have a size of times to 0.9 times. Alternatively, it may have a size of about 0.2 to about 0.8 times the first pitch P1. Alternatively, the first pitch P1 may have a size of about 0.3 times to about 0.6 times.

Alternatively, the second pitch P2, the third pitch P3, the fourth pitch P4, and the fifth pitch P5 all have substantially the same pitch, and the second pitch P2 ), the third pitch P3 , the fourth pitch P4 , and the fifth pitch P5 may be about 0.5 times larger than the first pitch P1 .

The touch window according to the embodiment may include a wire electrode having a mesh pitch smaller than a mesh pitch of the sensing electrode. For example, the mesh pitch of the wiring electrode according to the embodiment may be about 0.5 times larger than the mesh pitch of the sensing electrode. That is, the mesh pitch of the wiring electrodes may be half of the mesh pitch of the sensing electrodes.

Accordingly, the line width of one wiring electrode connected to one sensing electrode may be reduced. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the non-touch area according to the line width of the wiring electrode disposed on the effective area.

In addition, another wiring electrode, that is, another wiring electrode connected to another sensing electrode, is formed in a shape complementary to the adjacent wiring electrode, and the combined shape of the two wiring electrodes and the shape of the sensing electrode are formed in the same mesh shape. By preventing the formed wiring electrode and the sensing electrode from being visually recognized from the outside, visibility of the touch window may be improved.

Accordingly, the touch window according to the embodiment may increase the touch area by reducing the width of the wiring electrode, and may improve visibility.

Hereinafter, an example of a touch device apparatus to which a touch window according to the above-described embodiments is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11 .

Referring to FIG. 8 , as an example of a touch device apparatus, a mobile terminal is illustrated. The mobile terminal 1000 may include an effective area (AA) and an invalid area (UA). The effective area AA may sense a touch signal by a touch of a finger, and a command icon pattern unit and a logo may be formed in the ineffective area.

Referring to FIG. 9 , the touch window may include a flexible touch window that is bent. Accordingly, a touch device apparatus including the same may be a flexible touch device apparatus. Accordingly, the user can bend or bend it by hand.

Referring to FIG. 10 , such a touch window may be applied not only to a touch device such as a mobile terminal, but also to a car navigation system. Also, referring to FIG. 11 , such a touch panel may be applied in a vehicle. That is, the touch panel may be applied to various parts within the vehicle to which the touch panel may be applied. Accordingly, it is applied to not only a personal navigation display (PND), but also a dashboard, etc. to implement a center information display (CID). However, the embodiment is not limited thereto, and it goes without saying that such a touch device may be used in various electronic products.

Features, structures, effects, etc. described in the above-described embodiments are included in at least one embodiment of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to one embodiment. Furthermore, features, structures, effects, etc. illustrated in each embodiment can be combined or modified for other embodiments by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments belong. Accordingly, the contents related to such combinations and modifications should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

In addition, although the embodiments have been described above, these are merely examples and do not limit the present invention, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains are exemplified above in a range that does not depart from the essential characteristics of the present embodiment. It can be seen that various modifications and applications that have not been made are possible. For example, each component specifically shown in the embodiments may be implemented by modification. And the differences related to these modifications and applications should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims (13)

Board;
a sensing electrode and a wiring electrode disposed on the substrate;
The sensing electrode is formed by first sub-electrodes crossing each other and includes a first mesh shape having a first pitch,
The wiring electrode is formed by second sub-electrodes crossing each other and includes a second mesh shape having a second pitch,
The second pitch is a touch window having a size of 0.1 times to 0.9 times with respect to the first pitch. delete delete delete The method of claim 1,
the substrate comprises an effective area and an ineffective area;
and the wiring electrode extends from the effective area to the ineffective area. The method of claim 1,
At least one of the sensing electrode and the wiring electrode may include indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, copper oxide, tin oxide, or zinc oxide. ), metal oxides such as titanium oxide, nanowires, photosensitive nanowire films, carbon nanotubes (CNT), graphene, conductive polymers, chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) ), aluminum (Al), silver (Ag), molybdenum (Mo), and a touch window comprising at least one metal of alloys thereof. The method of claim 1,
The wire electrode is
a first wire electrode including a second mesh shape having a second pitch;
a second wiring electrode including a third mesh shape of a third pitch;
a third wiring electrode including a fourth mesh shape having a fourth pitch; and
and a fourth wire electrode including a fifth mesh shape of a fifth pitch,
A size of at least one of the first pitch and the second to fifth pitches is different from each other. 8. The method of claim 7,
The second mesh shape and the third mesh shape have a shape complementary to each other,
The fourth mesh shape and the fifth mesh shape have a shape complementary to each other. 8. The method of claim 7,
A size of the sum of the length of the first pitch and the length of the second pitch and the third pitch corresponds to each other. 10. The method of claim 9,
The sum of the lengths of the second pitch and the third pitch corresponds to the sum of the lengths of the fourth pitch and the fifth pitch. 8. The method of claim 7,
The second to fifth pitches are smaller than the first pitch. 12. The method of claim 11,
The second to fifth pitches have a size of 0.1 to 0.9 times the first pitch. delete

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