KR20110097134A - Touch panel with five wire electrode and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a 5-wire electrode touch panel and a manufacturing method thereof.
That is, the 5-wire electrode touch panel of the present invention comprises a transparent substrate; A transparent conductive film formed on the transparent substrate; Electrode patterns formed on an edge of the upper surface of the transparent conductive film; The insulating pattern may be configured to receive a voltage from the electrode patterns and distribute an electric field inside the transparent conductive layer.

Description

Touch panel with five wire electrode and method for manufacturing the same}

The present invention relates to a 5-wire electrode touch panel capable of making excellent touch panel characteristics and a manufacturing method thereof.

Recently, due to the rapid development of multimedia technology and display technology, the resolution of the liquid crystal display of the portable communication device has been improved, and accordingly, the case of adopting the touch panel in the portable communication device is increasing.

In other words, mobile terminal devices such as PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), PMPs (Portable Multimedia Players), MP3 players, mobile phones, and the like are becoming smaller and smaller in size for ease of movement and portability.

Therefore, the touch panel method is adopted in place of the conventional key button input method so that a user can select and input information more conveniently.

The touch panel method is capable of directly inputting or outputting information by interfacing with a computer through a screen. When a touch of a person's hand or an object is displayed on a character or a specific position on the screen, the touch panel detects coordinates of the contacted position.

Then, specific processing such as an application corresponding to the coordinates is executed.

Therefore, the touch panel provides both a function as an information display unit and a function as an input unit.

Such touch panels can be classified into various methods, and according to their operating principle, capacitive overlay, resistive overlay, surface acoustic wave, infrared beam, etc. There is this.

The resistive touch panel is formed by coating a resistive material on a glass or transparent plastic plate and covering a polyester film thereon, and insulating bars are installed at regular intervals so that the two surfaces do not touch each other. As the voltage changes, the position of the touched hand is recognized.

Surface ultrasonic touch panel consists of a transmitter that emits sound waves to one corner of the glass, a reflector to reflect sound waves at regular intervals, and a receiver attached to the other side. When an object disturbing sound waves, such as a finger, interferes with the path of sound waves, the point of time is calculated to recognize the touch point.

Infrared touch panel is a method that utilizes the directivity of infrared light which is invisible to the human eye. The infrared LED and the phototransistor, which are light emitting elements, are arranged to face each other to form a matrix. It recognizes the touch point by detecting the sensor being blocked.

In addition, the capacitive touch panel is coated with a transparent special conductive metal on both sides of the glass to apply a voltage to the four corners of the screen. Recognize.

This invention solves the subject which can make the characteristic of a touchscreen excellent.

The present invention,

A transparent substrate;

A transparent conductive film formed on the transparent substrate;

Electrode patterns formed on an edge of the upper surface of the transparent conductive film;

Provided is a 5-wire electrode touch panel including an insulating pattern receiving a voltage from the electrode patterns and distributing an electric field inside the transparent conductive layer.

The present invention,

Forming a transparent conductive film on the transparent substrate;

Selectively etching the transparent conductive film to form an insulating pattern;

A method for manufacturing a 5-wire electrode touch panel including forming electrode patterns on the transparent conductive layer outside the insulating pattern is provided.

The present invention can improve the distortion of the electrical characteristics of the edge by a uniform electrode pattern, and can reduce the curvature of the voltage equipotential lines to generate a more uniform and straight line voltage equipotential lines can improve the characteristics of the touch panel Excellent effect

In addition, the present invention can arrange the electrode pattern structure in a simple two rows, thereby reducing the non-use area of the touch panel, and can reduce the amount of expensive electrode material used, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost.

In addition, the present invention has an inventive concept that can significantly reduce the manufacturing cost by implementing the insulating pattern as a pattern made of a region in which the transparent conductive film has been removed, thereby eliminating additional processes and materials for forming the insulating pattern. It works.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a 5-wire electrode touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a schematic plan view showing a part of electrode patterns and an insulating pattern of a 5-wire electrode touch panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
3 is an enlarged view of A of FIG. 2;
4 is a diagram illustrating voltage equipotential lines generated in a 5-wire electrode touch panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a schematic partial view of a 5-wire electrode touch panel according to a comparative example of the present invention;
6 is a diagram illustrating a voltage equipotential line generated in a 5-wire electrode touch panel according to a comparative example of the present invention.
7 is a schematic conceptual view illustrating an insulation pattern applied to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a schematic conceptual view illustrating an example of an insulation pattern applied to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a schematic conceptual view illustrating another example of an insulation pattern applied to an embodiment of the present invention.
10A to 10C are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating an example of a manufacturing method of a 5-wire electrode touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

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

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a 5-wire electrode touch panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Five-wire electrode touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention is a transparent substrate 100; A transparent conductive film 110 formed on the transparent substrate 100; Electrode patterns 200 formed on edges of an upper surface of the transparent conductive film 110; The insulating pattern may be configured to receive a voltage from the electrode patterns 200 and distribute an electric field inside the transparent conductive layer 110.

The five-wire electrode touch panel includes four input electrode terminals connected to the electrode patterns 200, and a five-wire electrode connected to the electrode terminal to the transparent conductive layer 110.

The transparent conductive film 10 may be made of a transparent or opaque material.

Voltage is injected into the electrode patterns 200 from the four input electrode terminals of FIG. 1, and alternately in the 'A' direction and the 'B' direction between the insulating patterns by the voltage provided from the electrode patterns 200. The electric field is generated to form X, Y coordinates.

In this case, when a touch is generated with a finger or a stylus pen on a predetermined surface area of the transparent conductive layer 110 inside the electrode patterns 200, signals in the X and Y directions of the contacted point are generated and the touch is generated. The controller connected to the panel recognizes the intersection of the signal generated in the X direction and the signal generated in the Y direction and calculates the corresponding contact position.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view illustrating some electrode patterns and an insulating pattern of a 5-wire electrode touch panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of portion A of FIG. 2.

First, referring to FIG. 2, the electrode patterns of the 5-wire electrode touch panel of the present invention may be connected to an electrode terminal, and include first to fourth main segments 210 to which a voltage is applied; Auxiliary segments (220) receiving voltage from each of the first to fourth main segments (210); The plurality of auxiliary segments 220 includes unit segments 230 that receive a voltage.

For reference, only one main segment '210' is shown in FIG. 2, and for convenience, the first to fourth main segments are encoded as '210'.

In addition, since the transparent conductive film 110 has a rectangular shape, each of the first to fourth main segments 210 is formed near each corner of the rectangular transparent conductive film 110.

Here, the first to fourth main segments 210 extend in the X and Y directions at the edges of the transparent conductive film 110, and the unit segments 230 are the auxiliary segments 220. May be arranged in parallel with

The first to fourth main segments 210 extend in the X direction and the Y direction from the corners of the transparent conductive layer 110, and a first region is located on each of the first axes of the X and Y directions. The second region may be positioned at a second axis parallel to the first axis by being vertically bent twice in the first area positioned on the first axis.

In addition, the first to fourth main segments 210, the auxiliary segments 220, and the unit segments 230 may be spaced apart from each other.

A description with reference to FIG. 3 is as follows.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the main segment 210 is vertically bent twice in the '211' region and the '211' region located in the first axis K1 in the X-axis direction, and thus, the first segment K1 is not. It comprises a '212' region located in the second parallel axis (K2).

In addition, each of the auxiliary segments 222 may include a first region 221 arranged on the first axis K1, a second region 222 arranged on the second axis K2, and the first and second portions 222. It may be configured as a third region 223 connecting the two regions 221 and 222.

In addition, the unit segments 230 may be arranged on the second axis K2.

In addition, the insulating patterns 251 and 252 may be arranged on a third axis K3 parallel to the second axis K2, and may include a plurality of rectangular insulating regions.

Therefore, an electric field generated by the first to fourth main segments 210, the auxiliary segments 220, and the unit segments 230 passes through the openings between the insulating patterns 251 and 252 so that the transparent conductive film ( 110) to distribute the electric field inward.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, when the '210' main segment is connected to the '301' electrode terminal and a voltage is applied from the '301' electrode terminal to the '210' main segment, the '210' main segment The voltage is induced to the auxiliary segments 220, and the auxiliary segments 220 are voltage induced to the unit segments 230.

An opening 260 is formed between the insulating patterns 251 and 252, and an electric field is formed by voltages provided to the first to fourth main segments 210, the auxiliary segments 220, and the unit segments 230. This is generated in the opening 260.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the voltage equipotential lines 270 are generated by the electric field generated in the openings 260 existing between the insulating patterns 251 and 252, respectively.

Here, the electrode patterns are positioned at the edges of the transparent conductive film to have a rectangular ring shape, and a voltage difference is formed between the corresponding electrode patterns (for example, electrode patterns on opposite sides of the rectangular ring shape).

For example, when one electrode pattern of the corresponding electrode patterns is 5V, and the other electrode pattern is 0V, the electrode pattern is a direction from the one electrode pattern to the other electrode pattern in the electric field direction, and the openings 260 of the corresponding electrode patterns. ) Are also opposite, creating an equipotential line 270 between the opposing openings 260.

As described above, the present invention can improve the distortion of the electrical characteristics of the edges by the uniform electrode pattern, and can reduce the curvature of the voltage isopotential lines to generate more uniform and straight line voltage equipotential lines to improve the characteristics. There is an excellent advantage to this.

In addition, the present invention can arrange the electrode pattern structure in two rows, there is an advantage that can reduce the unused area of the touch panel, and can reduce the amount of expensive electrode material used to reduce the manufacturing cost.

FIG. 7 is a schematic conceptual view illustrating an insulation pattern applied to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a schematic conceptual view illustrating an example of an insulation pattern applied to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. It is a schematic conceptual diagram for demonstrating another example of the insulation pattern applied to the Example.

As described above, the insulating pattern applied to the present invention is disposed at the edge of the transparent conductive film 110, and passes the electric field generated by the main segment, the auxiliary segments and the unit segments through the opening between the insulating patterns. An electric field is distributed inside the transparent conductive film 110.

In addition, since a voltage is applied to the main segment and voltage is induced from the main segment to the auxiliary segments and the unit segments, the voltage gradually increases from the main segment to the central axes P1 and P2 of the transparent conductive film 110. The strength is lowered.

That is, as shown in FIG. 7, first to fourth main segments are positioned in regions adjacent to each of the four corners 110a, 110b, 110c, and 110d of the transparent conductive layer 110, and the first to fourth main segments are located. Compensating the voltage intensity lowered toward the central axes P1 and P2 between the main segments makes the intensity of the electric field applied in all regions of the transparent conductive film 110 uniform.

Therefore, when the insulation pattern is composed of a plurality of rectangular insulating regions, the length of the plurality of rectangular insulating regions may be formed to become smaller toward the central axes P1 and P2 between the first to fourth main segments. .

That is, the four corners 110a, 110b, 110c, and 110d of the transparent conductive film 110 having high voltage strength form an insulating pattern with an insulating region having the longest length, and the first to low voltage strengths. 4 The area corresponding to the central axes P1 and P2 between the main segments forms an insulating pattern with an insulating region having the shortest length.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the length L1 of the rectangular insulating regions 121a, 121b, 121c, and 121d toward the central axes P1 and P2 between the first to fourth main segments and the first to fourth main segments. , L2, L3, and L4 are configured to become smaller.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, the spacing between the rectangular insulating regions 122a, 122b, and 122c toward the central axes P1 and P2 between the first to fourth main segments in the first to fourth main segments. W1 and W2 (described above, the opening of the insulating pattern) 261 and 262 are configured to become larger.

That is, near the four corners 110a, 110b, 110c, and 110d of the transparent conductive film 110 having high voltage strength, the gap between the insulating regions is formed to reduce the strength of the electric field, and the voltage strength is low. The area corresponding to the central axes P1 and P2 between the first to fourth main segments increases the strength of the electric field generated by forming a wide interval between the insulating regions, thereby uniformizing the strength of the electric field throughout the transparent conductive film 110. It can be done.

In addition, the present invention may form an insulating pattern by mixing the structures of FIGS. 8 and 9.

On the other hand, the present invention preferably implements the insulating pattern as a pattern made by etching the transparent conductive layer (110).

That is, the present invention implements the insulating pattern as a pattern made of a region in which the transparent conductive film 110 is removed, and thus there is no additional process and material for forming the insulating pattern, and thus the manufacturing cost can be drastically reduced. It has the invention idea.

10A to 10C are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating an example of a manufacturing method of a 5-wire electrode touch panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

First, the transparent conductive film 110 is formed on the transparent substrate 100 (FIG. 10A).

A glass substrate or a transparent film may be applied to the transparent substrate 100.

The transparent conductive layer 110 may be implemented with a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) such as ITO.

Thereafter, the transparent conductive film 110 is selectively etched to form an insulating pattern 121 (FIG. 10B).

Subsequently, electrode patterns 210 are formed on the transparent conductive layer 110 outside the insulating pattern 121 (FIG. 10C).

Here, the electrode patterns 210 may be implemented by printing a conductive paste.

Although the invention has been described in detail only with respect to specific examples, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations are possible within the spirit of the invention, and such modifications and variations belong to the appended claims.

Claims (12)

A transparent substrate;
A transparent conductive film formed on the transparent substrate;
Electrode patterns formed on an edge of the upper surface of the transparent conductive film;
A 5-wire electrode touch panel configured to include an insulating pattern receiving a voltage from the electrode patterns to distribute an electric field inside the transparent conductive layer.
The method according to claim 1,
The electrode patterns,
First to fourth main segments to which a voltage is applied;
Auxiliary segments receiving voltage from each of the first to fourth main segments;
And a five-wire electrode touch panel comprising unit segments receiving voltage from the plurality of auxiliary segments.
The method according to claim 2,
The first to fourth main segments,
It extends in the X direction and the Y direction at the corner of the transparent conductive film,
The unit segments,
And a five wire electrode touch panel arranged in parallel with the auxiliary segments.
The method according to claim 2,
The first to fourth main segments,
A first region extending in an X direction and a Y direction from an edge of the transparent conductive film and positioned on a first axis of each of the X and Y directions;
And a second region bent twice in the first region located on the first axis and positioned on a second axis parallel to the first axis.
The method according to claim 4,
Each of the auxiliary segments,
A first region arranged on the first axis,
A second region arranged on the second axis,
And a third region connecting the first and second regions.
The method according to claim 4,
The unit segments,
And a five-wire electrode touch panel, arranged on the second axis.
The method according to claim 4,
The insulation pattern is,
And a third wire parallel to the second axis.
The method according to claim 1,
The insulation pattern is,
A 5-wire electrode touch panel comprising a plurality of rectangular insulating regions.

The method according to claim 8,
The length of the rectangular insulating regions becomes smaller from the first to fourth main segments toward the central axis between the first to fourth main segments, or
Alternatively, the 5-wire electrode touch panel is configured to increase the distance between the rectangular insulating regions toward the central axis between the first to fourth main segments from the first to fourth main segments.
The method according to claim 1,
The insulation pattern is,
5 wire electrode touch panel, characterized in that the transparent conductive film is implemented as an etched region.
Forming a transparent conductive film on the transparent substrate;
Selectively etching the transparent conductive film to form an insulating pattern;
And forming electrode patterns on the transparent conductive layer on the outside of the insulating pattern.
The method of claim 11,
The electrode patterns,
First to fourth main segments to which a voltage is applied;
Auxiliary segments receiving voltage from each of the first to fourth main segments;
And manufacturing unit segments receiving voltage from the plurality of auxiliary segments.

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