TW201316215A - Touch panel structure and manufacturing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a touch panel structure and manufacturing method thereof, which comprises a substrate, a decoration layer, a touch control unit, and at least one first ink layer. The decoration layer and the touch control unit are configured on one side of the substrate, in which the decoration layer is sandwiched between the touch control unit and the substrate. The decoration layer is configured with a viewing area and at least one pattern arrangement area; the touch control unit comprises a transparent sensing element extending for covering the pattern arrangement area; and, the first ink layer is configured on the touch control unit, and comprises at least one pattern. The first ink layer is corresponding to the pattern arrangement area, so as to reduce the cost and man hours for forming the touch panel pattern.

Description

Touch panel structure and manufacturing method thereof

The present invention relates to a touch panel structure and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly to a touch panel structure and a manufacturing method thereof for forming a touch panel pattern by a layered structure and a process, which can reduce manufacturing cost and reduce manufacturing man-hours. .

Referring to the conventional touch panel structure shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , the touch panel 10 includes a substrate 11 , and an insulating layer 12 is disposed on one side of the substrate 11 , and the insulating layer 12 is made of cerium oxide. The substrate 11 and the insulating layer 12 are both transparent. The touch unit 13 is disposed on the surface of the insulating layer 12 opposite to the mounting substrate 11. The touch unit 13 includes a transparent sensing component 131 and a trace 132. A decorative layer 14 is disposed between the insulating layers 12. The decorative layer 14 is an opaque material. The color of the decorative layer 14 is mostly black. For example, a black resin may be used, and the decorative layer 14 is disposed in a rectangular shape around the insulating layer 12 (as shown in the first figure). The transparent sensing element 131 is located in the area enclosed by the decorative layer 14 to form a touch area. The conventional touch panel 10 is usually provided with a product or company logo or The pattern of the user's operation indication can be provided. For the formation of the pattern, most of the current methods are formed by a photomask. Taking the pattern 15 of the first figure as an example, the operator forms a circular ring shape on the decorative layer 14 with a photomask. And then with respect to the decorative layer 14 The touch unit 13 is disposed on one surface of the insulating layer 12, and another insulating layer 16 is disposed on the surface of the touch unit 13 opposite to the side of the decorative layer 14. The ink layer 17 is disposed on the insulating layer 16 opposite to the surface of the touch unit 13. The ink layer 17 typically has a different color than the decorative layer 14 to highlight the pattern 15.

As far as the traditional mask forming pattern is concerned, the main disadvantage is that different masks must be made when the decorative layer patterns are different, which consumes a large amount of manufacturing cost and man-hours, and prolongs the production time of the touch panel.

In view of the lack of the prior art, the present invention provides a touch panel structure and a manufacturing method thereof, which can form a touch panel pattern by a layered structure and a process, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and reducing manufacturing man-hours.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a touch panel structure, comprising: a substrate, which is a transparent material; and a decorative layer disposed on one side of the substrate, the decorative layer is provided with a viewing area and at least one pattern setting area. The decorative layer is an opaque material; a touch unit is disposed on one side of the substrate, and includes a transparent sensing component, wherein the decorative layer is sandwiched between the touch unit and the substrate; and at least a first ink The layer is disposed on the touch unit, and the first ink layer has at least one pattern, and the first ink layer corresponds to the pattern setting area.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention further provides a method for manufacturing a touch panel structure, comprising: providing an opaque decorative layer on one side of a substrate of a transparent material, the decorative layer having a viewing area and at least one pattern setting area; A touch unit is disposed on one side of the substrate, wherein the decorative layer is interposed between the touch unit and the substrate, and the touch unit includes a transparent sensing element extending over the pattern setting area; At least one first ink layer is disposed on the touch unit, and the first ink layer has at least one pattern, and the first ink layer corresponds to the pattern setting area.

In order to enable your review committee to have a better understanding and recognition of the structural purpose and efficacy of the present invention, the detailed description is as follows.

The technical means and efficacy of the present invention for achieving the object will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the embodiments listed in the following drawings are only for the purpose of explanation, and are to be understood by the reviewing committee, but the technical means of the present invention are not Limited to the listed figures.

Please refer to the structure of an embodiment of the touch panel of the present invention shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4A, and the manufacturing process of the fifth embodiment. The touch panel 20 includes a substrate 21 and a buffer insulating layer 22 . A decorative layer 23, a touch unit 24, a protective insulating layer 25, a first ink layer 26, and a second ink layer 27, the manufacturing process 30 of the touch panel 20 includes the following steps:

Step 31: A buffer material of a transparent material is disposed on one surface of the substrate 21 of the transparent material. The substrate 21 may be one of a transparent glass, a color filter, a plastic substrate or a polarizer. The buffer insulating layer 22 may be a cerium oxide. (SiO ₂ ) to improve the adhesion of the touch unit 24.

Step 32: The decorative layer 23 of the opaque material is disposed on the buffer insulating layer 22 with respect to one surface of the substrate 21. The decorative layer 23 may be made of black resin or photoresist, and the decorative layer 23 is provided with at least one pattern setting area 232 and defined. The viewing area 231, the viewing area 231 and the pattern setting area 232 are formed in a plurality of ways. Currently, the mask forming method is widely used in the general industry, and the number of the pattern setting areas 232 is not limited, and is designed according to actual needs. This embodiment is provided with four pattern setting regions 232.

Step 33: The touch-sensing layer 24 is disposed on the buffer insulating layer 22 opposite to the surface of the substrate 21, and the decorative layer 23 is sandwiched between the touch unit 24 and the buffer insulating layer 22. The touch unit 24 is transparent. The measuring unit 241 and the plurality of wires 242 are formed. The touch unit 24 is electrically connected to a circuit board 28 . The transparent sensing element 241 is transparent and has a position corresponding to the viewing area 231 of the decorative layer 23 and extends over the pattern setting area. 232, thereby allowing the pattern setting area 232 to have a touch sensing function. The position of the plurality of traces 242 corresponds to the decorative layer 23.

Step 34: The protective unit 25 is provided with a transparent material on the surface of the touch unit 24, and the protective insulating layer 25 is made of cerium oxide (SiO ₂ ) as a protective layer of the touch unit 24.

Step 35: at least one first ink layer 26 is disposed on a surface of the protective insulating layer 25 opposite to the touch unit 24, and the first ink layer 26 defines at least one pattern 261 by using a hollow, the first ink layer 26 It corresponds to the pattern setting area 232.

Step 36: A second ink layer 27 is stacked on the first ink layer 26, and the second ink layer 27 corresponds to the pattern 261 (that is, the white portion of the pattern 261 shown in the third figure), and the second ink layer 27 is The four small-area blocks are arranged to correspond to the four patterns 261, and may also be arranged such that the large-area block completely covers all the patterns 261, and the color of the second ink layer 27 is different from the color of the first ink layer 26, for example, the first ink. The layer 26 is black, and the second ink layer 27 can be set to white, red, yellow, green or blue, whereby the patterns 261 can have the same or different colors, but the second ink layer 27 can also be omitted as needed. .

In addition, the first ink layer 26 and the second ink layer 27 of the present invention may also be disposed as shown in FIG. 4B, and the pattern 261 is formed by the first ink layer 26, and then stacked on the first ink layer 26. Two ink layers 27.

For the structure of the first ink layer 26 and the decorative layer 23 of the present invention, please refer to the third and sixth figures for further description. The third and sixth embodiments are correspondingly provided with four pattern setting regions 232. And a first ink layer 26, each of the first ink layers 26 corresponding to a pattern setting area 232, each of the first ink layers 26 is provided with a pattern 261, and the pattern setting area 232 can accommodate the pattern 261, and the first The area of the ink layer 26 is larger than the pattern setting area 232. When the first ink layer 26 is disposed under the pattern setting area 232, the pattern 261 can be completely displayed in the pattern setting area 232 (as shown in the third figure). When the color of the first ink layer 26 and the decorative layer 23 are the same, for example, when they are all black, the effect of displaying on the substrate 21 is equivalent to the effect of forming a pattern by using the photomask on the decorative layer 23, and the pattern is 261 is disposed on the first ink layer 26, and the pattern setting area 232 of the decorative layer 23 is in a frame shape of a transparent space. Therefore, the present invention can arbitrarily change the position of the pattern 261, as shown in the seventh figure, the pattern 261 and the third figure. Shown The position of the case 261 is different. If it is necessary to change other different patterns, it is only necessary to replace the first ink layer 26, and it is not necessary to modify the decorative layer 23. In other words, the present invention only needs to form a transparent frame by using a photomask on the decorative layer 23. The pattern setting area 232 may be used. As for the pattern change, only the first ink layer 26 is involved, and since the first ink layer 26 is printed by ink, it is not formed by a photomask, and the molding method is simple and the cost is low, so The manufacturing cost is reduced, the manufacturing man-hour is reduced, and the manufacturing time of the touch panel is shortened. It must be noted that although the pattern setting region 232 exhibits a frame type and the decorative layer 23 overlaps with the first ink region 26, The decorative layer 23 is the same color as the first ink region 26, and the thickness of the decorative layer 23 and the first ink region 26 are both thin, so that no gap or frame is formed around the pattern 261, and the graphic pattern is set. The area 232 has a frame edge only to indicate the range of the pattern setting area 232.

Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 , a decorative area 23A and a pattern setting area 232A are disposed on the decorative layer 23A. The viewing area 231A and the pattern setting area 232A communicate with each other to form the decorative layer 23A into a rectangular ring shape. The pattern setting area 232A is provided with a large area of the first ink layer 26A, and the first ink layer 26A is provided with four patterns 261A. If the pattern is changed, the first ink layer 26A may be replaced.

In summary, the touch panel structure and the manufacturing method thereof provided by the present invention form a touch panel pattern by a layered structure and a process, which can reduce the manufacturing cost and reduce the manufacturing man-hour.

However, the above description is only for the embodiments of the present invention, and the scope of the invention is not limited thereto. That is to say, the equivalent changes and modifications made by the applicant in accordance with the scope of the patent application of the present invention should still fall within the scope of the patent of the present invention. I would like to ask your review committee to give a clear explanation and pray for it.

Prior art:

10. . . Conventional touch panel

11. . . Substrate

12, 16. . . Insulation

13. . . Touch unit

131. . . Transparent sensing element

132. . . Traces

14. . . Decorative layer

15. . . pattern

17. . . Ink layer

this invention:

20. . . Touch panel

twenty one. . . Substrate

twenty two. . . Buffer insulation

23, 23A. . . Decorative layer

231, 231A. . . Viewport

232, 232A. . . Pattern setting area

twenty four. . . Touch unit

241. . . Transparent sensing element

242. . . Traces

25. . . Protective insulation

26, 26A. . . First ink layer

261, 261A. . . pattern

27. . . Second ink layer

28. . . Circuit board

30. . . Manufacturing process

31~36. . . step

The first figure is a schematic view of a front view of a conventional touch panel.

The second figure is a schematic view of the A-A cross-section of the first figure.

The third drawing is a schematic structural view of a plan view of an embodiment of the present invention.

The fourth A is a schematic view of the B-B cross-sectional structure of the third figure.

Figure 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

The fifth drawing is a flow chart of the steps of the manufacturing method of the present invention.

The sixth figure is a schematic diagram of the matching structure of the first ink layer and the decorative layer in the embodiment of the third figure.

The seventh figure is a schematic structural view of the third embodiment of the embodiment changing the position of the first ink layer and the decorative layer.

8 and 9 are schematic views showing the cooperation structure of another embodiment of the first ink layer and the decorative layer of the present invention.

20. . . Touch panel

twenty one. . . Substrate

twenty two. . . Buffer insulation

twenty three. . . Decorative layer

231. . . Viewport

232. . . Pattern setting area

twenty four. . . Touch unit

241. . . Transparent sensing element

242. . . Traces

25. . . Protective insulation

26. . . First ink layer

261. . . pattern

27. . . Second ink layer

28. . . Circuit board

Claims (10)

A touch panel structure comprising: a substrate, which is a transparent material; a decorative layer disposed on one side of the substrate, the decorative layer is provided with at least one pattern setting area and defines a viewing area, the decorative layer is opaque A touch unit is disposed on one side of the substrate and includes a transparent sensing element, wherein the decorative layer is sandwiched between the touch unit and the substrate, and the transparent sensing element is extended to The pattern setting area; and at least one first ink layer is disposed on the touch unit, the first ink layer has at least one pattern, and the first ink layer corresponds to the pattern setting area. The touch panel structure of claim 1, further comprising a second ink layer stacked on the first ink layer and corresponding to the pattern. The touch panel structure of claim 2, wherein the color of the second ink layer is different from the color of the first ink layer. The touch panel structure of claim 1, further comprising a buffer insulating layer and a protective insulating layer, wherein the buffer insulating layer is disposed between the substrate and the touch unit, the protective insulating layer The buffer unit is disposed on one side of the touch layer, and the buffer insulating layer and the protective insulating layer are transparent materials. The touch panel structure of claim 1, wherein the color of the first ink layer is the same as the color of the decorative layer. The touch panel structure of claim 1, wherein the touch unit further comprises a plurality of traces corresponding to the decorative layer. A method for manufacturing a touch panel structure includes: providing an opaque decorative layer on a surface of a substrate of a transparent material, the decorative layer having a viewing area and at least one pattern setting area; and providing a touch unit on one side of the substrate The touch layer is disposed between the touch unit and the substrate, and the touch unit includes a transparent sensing element extending over the pattern setting area; and at least one of the touch units is disposed on the touch unit An ink layer having at least one pattern corresponding to the pattern setting region. The method for manufacturing a touch panel structure according to claim 7, wherein after the step of disposing the first ink layer, a second ink layer is further stacked on the first ink layer, the second ink layer Corresponds to the pattern. The method for manufacturing a touch panel structure according to the seventh aspect of the invention, further comprising: providing a transparent buffer insulating layer between the substrate and the touch unit; and providing the decorative layer with respect to the touch unit One side of the surface is provided with a transparent protective insulating layer. The method of manufacturing a touch panel structure according to the seventh aspect of the invention, wherein the touch unit further comprises a plurality of traces corresponding to the decorative layer.