TWI662449B - Touch panel with grid pattern without induction function - Google Patents

Abstract

A touch panel with a grid pattern without induction function mainly includes a light-transmitting substrate and two induction electrodes. The two induction electrodes are opposed to each other through the light-transmitting substrate. The metal grids of the two induction electrodes each include a virtual network without an induction function. Grid pattern, in which the angle between the metal lines with induction function is randomly arranged under specific conditions, thereby reducing the area of the node, thereby effectively reducing or eliminating the diffraction effect at the node. In addition, the metal of the two induction electrodes The grid and the virtual grid pattern without induction function can be interlaced into an interlaced pattern composed of irregular polygons, so as to achieve the purpose of not generating interference fringes when used with display panels of various mainstream sizes.

Description

Touch panel with grid pattern without induction function

A touch panel with a grid pattern without a sensing function, especially a touch panel that can improve the recognition of touch signals and effectively reduce interference fringes. As long as the sensing electrodes are made of a thin film mask, There is no need to use a glass mask, which effectively saves production costs. In particular, it does not produce interference fringes when used with display panels of various mainstream sizes.

When the metal grid of the touch panel is applied to the display panel, it is easy to produce so-called interference patterns (Moire), which affects the screen display quality. Interference fringes occur because the shape, arrangement of the metal grid pattern, and the line width of the metal grid affect several factors that affect light transmission. When adjacent fringe patterns are regularly arranged with each other, optical interference fringes will be generated. In order to effectively prevent optical phenomena such as interference fringes, such as the so-called Moire effect. It is very effective to make the line width of the metal grid between 1 micron and 3 micron, and adjust the shape angle or arrangement of the metal grid.

Another reason is that when the touch panel and the display panel are bonded, the metal grid of the touch panel and the thin-film transistor array (TFT array) of the display panel (such as the black matrix or RGB) The pixel arrangement) is also a regular grid arrangement, so when two regular grid arrangement patterns overlap, optical interference patterns will also be generated.

In order to avoid or reduce the occurrence of interference fringes, the wire width of the wire can be between 1 micrometer and 3 micrometers. Such a fine line width must be produced by a high-resolution glass mask, but the cost of the glass mask Expensive, leading to higher initial development and manufacturing costs.

Therefore, it can be made through a thin film mask (see Figure 1A), but the thin film mask 1a has a lower resolution than the glass mask. Therefore, the intersection of the line and the line will expand compared to the glass mask. The metal grid 1b (see FIG. 1B) made through the thin film photomask 1a through the exposure development etching process has a line width of only 5 to 8 microns, and many nodes N are formed at the intersection of the line and the line. As described above, the line width produced by the thin film mask 1a is large, so the area of the nodes is large, and each node has a uniform shape of the cross. Therefore, when the light reaches the node, the diffraction phenomenon easily occurs, which affects the transmission. Luminosity and seriously affect the display effect.

Please refer to the case of Taiwan Invention Patent Bulletin No. I601043 "Touch Panel with Metal Lines without Sensing Function", which mainly includes a light-transmitting substrate and two sensing electrodes. The two sensing electrodes are opposed to each other across the light-transmitting substrate. It includes metal lines with induction function and metal lines without induction function, and the metal grid also has interlaced lines. The purpose of this case is to avoid the diffraction effect. The technical method used in this case is to make the metal mesh The area of each grid of the grid becomes larger (that is, the density of the grid becomes larger), and the number of nodes can be reduced. However, a smaller number of nodes indicates that the location of the diffraction effect is reduced, but the area of the node itself has not been affected. Shrinking may still have a diffraction effect.

In addition, in this case, when "metal lines with induction function" and "metal lines without induction function" are interlaced with each other, although the whole can form a grid pattern that is invisible to the naked eye, the above two are regular nets in themselves. Grid pattern, so the interlacing is still a regular grid pattern, that is, the interval between a metal line is fixed, so when it is attached to a display panel of different specifications, it will be matched with a black matrix of some specifications (Black Matrix) and color filter layers have interference fringes. Therefore, metal grids with different arrangement intervals must be designed separately; however, it will bring the problem of high production cost, and there is also the problem of diffraction effects at the nodes to be overcome.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel design method which can reduce the occurrence of interference fringes and improve the touch sensitivity. In addition, a low-cost thin-film photomask can be used as a metal grid, which can be matched with a single specification. Used in various resolution display panels.

The invention is mainly to provide a technical means to reduce the occurrence of diffraction effects at the nodes, that is, the angles between the two lines constituting the nodes are not equal, where each angle is within a proper angle range, but the angle of the angle can be It is determined in a random manner within an appropriate angle range, such as choosing different angles, so that the shape of each node is slightly different and the area at the node is reduced. This can effectively reduce the chance of diffraction effects at the node. Therefore, the nodes of the metal grid and the nodes of the metal grid are not exactly aligned with the black matrix and the color filter layer of the display, that is, the shapes of the nodes of the metal grid with the sensing function of the present invention Both are not a single cross shape, so it can effectively reduce or eliminate the diffraction effect that occurs at the nodes. In addition, the lines forming the metal grid will also have a line of approximately straight lines such as curvature, slope, etc. It does not correspond to the regular black matrix and black matrix and color filters, so by using the invention to reduce the node winding Effect techniques can apply various mainstream display without generating interference fringe effect.

The present invention also provides a means for forming an invisible grid density with an inner grid. The present invention is to arrange a inner grid in a metal grid with a sensing function, and the metal grid with a sensing function is a solid line. And the continuous line is formed to sense whether the physical quantity has changed, such as electrical changes; and the inner grid is a virtual grid pattern, that is, a discontinuous line or a discontinuous multi-segment line forms a similar grid pattern. The inner grid has no nodes and is not connected to the metal grid with sensing function. Therefore, the inner grid has no sensing function. Its main purpose is to increase the overall grid density of the sensing electrode, that is, when the touch panel and display When the panels are bonded, the density of the grid is invisible to the naked eye.

To achieve the above object, the touch panel with a grid pattern without a sensing function of the present invention includes a light-transmitting substrate; a first sensing electrode is disposed on a first surface of the light-transmitting substrate and extends along a first Extending in a direction, the first sensing electrode includes a plurality of first metal grids, the first metal grids include a plurality of nodes, and the first metal grid is formed between any two lines constituting the nodes. The included angle is within an appropriate range of angles and is determined by random numbers in the above range. The first metal grids are further configured with a first inner grid, and the first inner grids None of the grids intersect the first metal grids, and the first inner grid is a grid without any nodes; a second sensing electrode is disposed on a second side of the light-transmitting substrate and Extending along a second direction, the first surface and the second surface need to correspond to each other. The second sensing electrode includes a plurality of second metal grids. The second metal grids include a plurality of nodes, and the second metal Between any two lines in the grid that make up these nodes The included angle is within an appropriate range of angles and is determined by a random number in the above range. The second metal grids are further provided with a second inner grid, and the second metal grids None of the two inner meshes intersects the second metal meshes, and the second inner meshes are meshes without any nodes.

The first metal grid is separated from the first inner grid in the first metal grid, and the second metal grid is separated from the second inner grid in the second metal grid. The light-transmitting substrates are opposed to each other and are staggered with each other to form a staggered pattern. The staggered pattern includes a plurality of irregular polygons.

The features of the present invention also include that in this case, the grid distance between the first metal grid and the second metal grid is increased above 1.8 mm. As the grid distance becomes larger, the amount of change in the capacitance value can be increased to achieve an improvement. The purpose of the touch signal recognition; in addition, a first inner grid and a second inner grid that can be interlaced and have no sensing function are set in the first metal grid and the second metal grid, as mentioned in the previous paragraph. The purpose is to increase the grid width of the first metal grids or the second metal grids, thereby improving the recognition of touch signals. However, increasing the grid width alone will cause the width of the metal grids to be too large, making it easier for the naked eye. The existence of the grid is detected, and the first inner grid and the second inner grid without the induction function are arranged in the first metal grid and the second metal grid, which just makes the first grid The grid density of the sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode is maintained at a level that cannot be detected by the naked eye.

Because the inner grid is not connected to the metal grid, the number of nodes is reduced, and the first metal grid and the first inner grid and the second metal grid and the The second inner grid is only interlaced in relative relationship, but it is not on the same layer and therefore no nodes are generated. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a high-resolution glass mask, as long as a thin-film mask (such as a film) can be used. A metal grid with very few nodes greatly improves the light transmittance and effectively improves the display effect. Since the cost of a thin film mask is much lower than that of a glass mask, it can also effectively reduce the production cost.

The following describes the embodiments of the present invention in more detail with illustrations and component symbols, so that those skilled in the art can implement them after studying this specification.

Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a touch panel with a grid pattern without a sensing function according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the touch panel 1 with a grid pattern without sensing function of the present invention includes at least a light-transmitting substrate 10, a first sensing unit 11 and a second sensing unit 12, wherein the light-transmitting substrate 10 It includes a visible touch area V and a peripheral circuit area L, wherein the peripheral circuit area L is between the edge of the transparent substrate 10 and the visible touch area V, and the visible touch area V is the transparent substrate 10 is a non-edge region, the peripheral circuit region L is an edge region of the transparent substrate 10, that is, the visible touch region V is farther from the peripheral circuit region L than the edge of the transparent substrate 10, or the peripheral circuit region L surrounds the visible touch area V.

The transparent substrate 10 may be a rigid substrate or a flexible substrate; the material of the rigid substrate may be glass, reinforced glass, sapphire, ceramic, or other appropriate materials; and the material of the flexible substrate may be a polymer material. The polymer material is, for example, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nylon (Nylon), or polycarbonate. (PC), polyurethane (PU), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyimide (PI), acrylic resin, or polymethylmethacrylate Mixed materials such as methyl acrylate and polycarbonate. The touch panel formed by applying the flexible substrate may have flexibility, so it is suitable for being covered on a flexible surface or any flexible object requiring a touch function, such as a display panel formed of other suitable materials. Flexible substrate.

The first sensing unit 11 and the second sensing unit 12 are disposed on a first surface and a second surface of the light-transmitting substrate 10, and the first surface and the second surface need to correspond to each other, for example, to correspond to each other. The surface and the lower surface can also be set on the upper or lower surface of different light-transmitting substrates 10, and then bonded together with optical glue (not shown in the figure) according to their relative positions. Therefore, the first sensing unit 11 and the As long as some or all of the second sensing units 12 are in relative positions corresponding to each other in parallel, the first sensing unit 11 and the second sensing unit 12 can be arranged on a single or multiple substrates to achieve the purpose of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic view of the first sensing electrode and a partial area A thereof, and please refer to FIG. 2, where FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating that the first sensing unit 11 extends axially in a first direction Y. The first sensing unit 11 includes a plurality of first sensing electrodes 111 and a plurality of first metal leads 113. The first sensing electrodes 111 are located in the visible touch area V and extend axially along the first direction Y. The first metal leads 113 are located in the peripheral circuit area L, and the first sensing electrodes 111 are electrically connected to the first metal leads 113.

The two adjacent first sensing electrodes 111 are not connected to each other. The vertical dashed line in FIG. 2 indicates that there is a gap between the adjacent two first sensing electrodes 111. Because FIG. 2 is a touch with a grid pattern having no sensing function, The macro view of the control panel, and the actual structure of the first sensing electrode 111, please refer to the enlarged view of the local area A in the third figure. As shown in the local area A, the first sensing electrode 111 includes a plurality of first metals A metal mesh 111A, of which a first metal mesh 111A has four nodes, the nodes are formed by the intersection of metal lines, and the two lines constituting the nodes in the first metal mesh 111A are summarized Non-straight lines (some straight lines can also be arranged from them), among which the first metal grid 111A is further provided with a first inner grid 111B, and the first inner grid 111B of the first metal grid 111A is not Intersects the first metal grids 111A, and the first inner grid 111 is a grid without any nodes; that is, a virtual grid pattern is formed in the first metal grid (ie, the first inner grid) Grid), the first inner grid is characterized by no Node, but arranged in each of the first metal mesh 111A, the first metal can together form an average mesh 111A and denser grid pattern.

Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of the second sensing electrode and a partial area B thereof, and please refer to FIG. 2, where FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating that the second sensing unit 12 extends axially in a second direction X. The second sensing unit 12 further includes a plurality of second sensing electrodes 121 and a plurality of second metal leads 123. The second sensing electrodes 121 are located in the visible touch area V, and the second metal leads 123 are located on the periphery. In the circuit area L, the second sensing electrodes 121 are electrically connected to the second metal leads 123.

The two adjacent second sensing electrodes 121 are not connected to each other. The horizontal dashed line in FIG. 2 indicates that there is a gap between the adjacent two second sensing electrodes 121. Because FIG. 2 is a touch with a grid pattern having no sensing function, The macro view of the control panel is shown, and the actual structure of the second sensing electrode 121 is shown in the enlarged view of the local area B in FIG. 4. As shown in the local area B, the second sensing electrode 121 includes a plurality of second metal grids. (metal mesh) 121A. One of the second metal meshes 121A also includes a plurality of nodes. The nodes are formed by intersecting a plurality of lines. Any two lines constituting the nodes in the second metal mesh 121A are generally sketched. Non-linear, in which the second metal grid 121A is further configured with a second inner grid 121B, and the second inner grid 121B in the second metal grid 121A is not connected with the second metal grid 121A intersects, and the second inner grid 121B is a grid without any nodes; that is, a virtual grid pattern (ie, a second inner grid) is also formed in the second metal grid 121A. Grid 121B is characterized by no nodes, but when viewed as a whole Such meshes with a second average and 121A together form a denser grid pattern.

Please also note that the material of the first metal grids or the second metal grids 121A is at least one of copper gold, aluminum, copper, silver, chromium, titanium, molybdenum, neodymium, nickel, and alloys of the above metals. One; the first metal grid 111A or the second metal grid 121A is exposed by a thin film mask or a glass mask; wherein the grid of the first metal grid 111A or the second metal grid 121A The width is between 1.0 ~ 3.0mm.

Referring to the fifth figure, the fifth figure is an enlarged schematic diagram of the local area C in FIG. 2. Which first The sensing unit 11 and the second sensing unit 12 form a relative arrangement relationship of up, down, left, or diagonal pairs. As shown in the fifth figure, the first metal grids 111A are opposed to the second metal grids 121A. The first metal grids 111A and the second metal grids 121A are staggered to form a grid with a lower density and equal spacing; and the first inner grids and The second inner grids are also interlaced with each other in a grid-like pattern (viewed from above), but viewed from the side, they are actually only visually staggered (via the transparent substrate 10); and As shown in the embodiment of the fifth figure, when the first inner grids and the second inner grids are staggered with each other, a grid with a higher density and a substantially equal distance is formed, so the first metal grid is viewed as a whole. The relative arrangement relationship of 111A and the second metal grids 121A staggered with each other forms a staggered pattern with high density and invisible to the naked eye. The staggered pattern includes a plurality of irregular polygon patterns, that is, the staggered pattern includes a plurality of irregularities at the same time. Triangle, multiple irregular quads, A plurality of irregular pentagons and a plurality of irregular hexagons, and the above-mentioned polygons of different shapes are irregularly scattered in a staggered pattern.

In an embodiment of the present invention, an included angle between any two lines constituting the nodes in the first metal grid is within a proper angle range and different selections and combinations are made within the above proper angle range; the The angle between any two lines constituting the nodes in the second metal grid is also within a proper angle range and different choices and combinations are made within the above proper angle range. The above proper angle range is 75 ~ 125 Degrees, the preferred angle range is 77 to 123 degrees, and the optimal angle range is 80 to 120 degrees. For example, in Figure 6A, the number of included angles when any two lines intersect is 4, and the angle of four included angles They can all be different. For example, θ ₁ ~ θ ₄ can be 70 degrees, 110 degrees, 80 degrees, and 100 degrees, respectively, and they are exactly 360 degrees. Or, as shown in Figure 6B, θ ₁ ~ θ ₄ are 95 degrees and 85, respectively Degrees, 65 degrees, and 115 degrees. The line connecting the two nodes is not a straight line, but an approximately straight line with a curvature or slope, so that the staggered pattern contains an irregular shape.

In addition, although the first inner grid or the second inner grid has no nodes, the angle between any two adjacent lines constituting the first inner grid or the second inner grid can be further configured. It is within the proper angle range and different choices and combinations are made within the above proper angle range. The above proper angle range is 75 ~ 125 degrees, the preferred angle range is 77 ~ 123 degrees, and the optimal angle range is 80 ~ 120 degrees; this enables the interlaced pattern to be composed of more irregular polygonal patterns, but the overall pattern of the interlaced pattern still has a certain regularity, because the included angle is randomly assigned in a specific range, and the entire interlaced pattern is composed of irregular polygons Composed grid pattern.

Through the above method, the shapes of the nodes of the metal grid with sensing function of the present invention are mostly non-orthodox shapes. Of course, some orthographic nodes can also be interspersed to reduce the area of the nodes and effectively reduce diffraction. The opportunity for the effect to occur at the nodes, in conjunction with the staggered pattern of irregular polygons due to the included angle selection and non-straight lines, so that each node and irregular metal grid will not be aligned with the regular black matrix (Black Matrix) and The color filter layers are just aligned, and can be applied to various mainstream displays without interference fringes.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the grid width of the first metal grid 111A or the second metal grid 121A is greater than 1.8 mm, thereby increasing the variation of the capacitance value, and achieving the improvement of the touch signal recognition. purpose.

In addition, the features of the present invention include that the first inner grid 111A and the second metal grid 121A are respectively provided with the first inner grid and the second inner grid that can be interlaced with each other, as mentioned in the previous paragraph. The reason is that the grid width of the first metal grid 111A or the second metal grid 121A is increased, and the touch signal recognition is improved. However, only increasing the grid width will make the grid easier to be detected by the naked eye. Therefore, the first inner grid and the second inner grid are set in the first metal grid 111A and the second metal grid 121A, so that the first sensing electrode 111 and the The mesh density of the second sensing electrode 121 is maintained at a level that is not detectable by the naked eye.

In addition, since the first inner grids and the second inner grids are not connected to the metal grid, the number of nodes is reduced, and the first metal grid 111A and the first inner net mentioned in the previous paragraph Although the grid and the second metal grid 121A and the second inner grid together seem to form a number of intersecting nodes in plan view, the first metal grid 111A and the second and second metal grid 121A are still separated by a gap. The light substrate is not actually a node. Since it is not a real node, there will be no external expansion of the node. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a high-resolution glass photomask. Only a thin film photomask (such as a negative film) can be used to produce only a few nodes. The metal grid greatly improves the transmittance and effectively improves the display effect. Because the cost of the thin film mask is much lower than that of the glass mask, it can also effectively reduce the production cost.

In summary, the present invention does achieve a touch panel design method that can reduce the occurrence of interference fringes while improving touch sensitivity. Furthermore, the method is made of a thin film mask, which can also reduce the production cost.

Since the technology of the present invention has not been found in published journals, periodicals, magazines, media, and exhibition venues, it is novel and can be implemented in a way that breaks through current technical bottlenecks and is indeed progressive. In addition, the invention can solve the problems of conventional technology, improve the overall use efficiency, and achieve the value of industrial applicability.

The above are only used to explain the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention in any form. Therefore, any modification or change related to the present invention made under the same spirit of the invention Should still be included in the scope of the present invention.

1‧‧‧ touch panel with grid pattern without induction

10‧‧‧Transparent substrate

11‧‧‧The first induction unit

12‧‧‧Second induction unit

111‧‧‧first sensing electrode

111A‧‧‧First metal grid

111B‧‧‧First inner grid

113‧‧‧First metal lead

121‧‧‧Second sensing electrode

121A‧‧‧Second Metal Grid

121B‧‧‧Second inner grid

123‧‧‧Second metal lead

A, B, C‧‧‧ partial area

V‧‧‧visible touch area

L‧‧‧ surrounding circuit area

X‧‧‧ first direction

Y‧‧‧ second direction

1a‧‧‧film mask

1b‧‧‧Metal grid

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a thin film mask according to a conventional technique.

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of a metal grid manufactured by a conventional technique through a thin film mask exposure, development, and etching process; FIG.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a touch panel with a grid pattern without a sensing function according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic view of the first sensing electrode and a partial area A thereof.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of the second sensing electrode and a partial area B thereof.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic diagram of a local area C in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an angle formed between a node and two lines constituting the node.

FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of an angle formed between a node and two lines constituting the node.

Claims (10)

A touch panel with a grid pattern without sensing function includes: a light-transmitting substrate; a first sensing electrode disposed on a first surface of the light-transmitting substrate and extending in a first direction; An induction electrode includes a plurality of first metal grids. The first metal grids include a plurality of nodes. The angle formed between any two lines constituting the nodes in the first metal grid is between Within a proper angle range and determined in a random manner, the first metal grids are further configured with a first inner grid, and the first inner grids in the first metal grid are all Does not intersect the first metal grids, and the first inner grid is a grid without any nodes; and a second sensing electrode is disposed on a second side of the light-transmitting substrate and extends along a Extending in the second direction, the first surface and the second surface need to correspond to each other. The second sensing electrode includes a plurality of second metal grids. The second metal grids include a plurality of nodes, and the second metal grids. Between any two lines forming the nodes in the grid The angle of the included angle is within an appropriate angle range and is determined in a random manner in the appropriate angle range. A second inner grid is further arranged in the second metal grids, and the second metal grids are arranged. None of the second inner meshes intersect with the second metal meshes, and the second inner meshes are meshes without any nodes; wherein the first metal meshes and the first metal meshes are The first inner grid in the metal grid, and the second metal grid and the second inner grid in the second metal grid are mutually opposed to each other across the light-transmitting substrate and intersect to form a A staggered pattern containing a plurality of irregular polygons. According to the touch panel with a grid pattern without a sensing function according to item 1 of the scope of the patent application, the material of the first sensing electrode or the second sensing electrode is gold, aluminum, copper, silver, chromium, titanium , Molybdenum, neodymium, nickel, and alloys of the above metals. According to the touch panel with a grid pattern without sensing function described in item 1 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the first sensing electrode or the second sensing electrode is exposed by a thin film mask or a glass mask. According to the touch panel with a grid pattern without induction function described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, the light-transmitting substrate is a rigid substrate or a flexible substrate. According to the touch panel with a grid pattern without sensing function described in item 1 of the scope of the patent application, the grid width of the first metal grid or the second metal grid is between 1.0 and 3.0 mm. The touch panel with a grid pattern without a sensing function according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the interlaced pattern includes a plurality of irregular triangles, a plurality of irregular quadrangles, a plurality of irregular pentagons, and a plurality of irregular six Edge. According to the touch panel with a grid pattern without sensing function described in item 1 of the scope of the patent application, the appropriate angle range is between 75 and 125 degrees. According to the touch panel with a grid pattern without induction function described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, the lines forming the nodes in the first metal grid or the second metal grid are mainly composed of Curved or sloped lines. According to the touch panel with a grid pattern without a sensing function described in item 1 of the scope of the patent application, an included angle formed by any two adjacent lines in the first inner grid or the second inner grid The angle of is within a proper angle range and is arranged in a random manner within the proper angle range. According to the touch panel with a grid pattern without sensing function described in item 9 of the scope of the patent application, the appropriate angle range is between 75 and 125 degrees.