Display device with touch panel and fabricating method thereof

A display device with touch panel and a fabricating method thereof are provided. The display device with touch panel includes a flexible display panel and a force sensitive touch panel. The force sensitive touch panel is disposed under a portion of the flexible display panel. Since the force sensitive touch panel is only configured under the portion of the flexible display panel, the display device with touch panel may have touching control function and flexibility at the same time.

This application claims priority to a Taiwan application No. 097150504 filed Dec. 24, 2008.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The invention is related to a display device and fabricating method thereof, and more particular to a flexible display device with touch panel and fabricating method thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Since the back light module is replaced by the external light source for displaying in reflective display devices, the consumed energy may be reduced and the reflective display devices are suitable for being used in the portable electronic products. Thus, a touch panel is used in the display device of most portable electronic products for convenience nowadays.

The touch panels widely used within the display devices comprise resistive touch panels, capacitance touch panels and force sensitive touch panels. The resistive touch panel or the capacitance touch panel is disposed on the display surface of the display panel. For the reflective display device, the external light is transmitted into the display panel via the resistive touch panel or the capacitance touch panel and the light reflected by the display panel is also transmitted out of the the display panel via the resistive touch panel or the capacitance touch pane.

However, the transmittance of the resistive touch panel or the capacitance touch panel is only between 80% and 92%, so the brightness of the reflective display device is difficult to promote. Therefore, piezoelectric touch panel disposed under the display panel is used in most of the conventional reflective display devices to prevent the light reflected by the display panel from passing the piezoelectric touch panel, so the light energy loss may be decreased and the displaying brightness of the reflective display devices may also be increased. Nevertheless, since a rigid substrate is used as a carrier for the piezoelectric sensors of the piezoelectric touch panel, the conventional reflective display device with piezoelectric touch panel is unflexible and it is not consistent with the trend of miniaturization and the convenience of carrying of the modern display devices.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Accordingly, the invention is directed to a display device with touch panel having flexibility without sacrificing brightness.

The invention is directed to a method of fabricating a display device with touch panel for producing a flexible display device with touch panel without reducing the brightness thereof.

The invention provides a display device with touch panel comprising a flexible display panel and a force sensitive touch panel, wherein the force sensitive touch panel is disposed under a portion of the flexible display panel.

The invention provides a method of fabricating a display device with touch panel. First, a flexible display panel is provided. Next, a force sensitive touch panel is formed under a portion of the flexible display panel.

Since the force sensitive touch panel is disposed under a portion of the flexible display panel, the other portions of the flexible display panel without bonding with the force sensitive touch panel may be bent. Therefore, the display device with touch panel is flexible in the invention.

In order to make the aforementioned and other objects, features and advantages of the invention more comprehensible, some preferred embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a display device with touch panel according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring toFIG. 1, the display device with touch panel10comprises a flexible display panel12and a force sensitive touch panel14disposed under a portion of the flexible display panel12.

The flexible display panel12is a reflective flexible display panel, such as an electro-phoretic display panel, a cholesteric liquid crystal display panel, an organic electroluminescence display panel, a MEMS display panel or an electro-wetting display panel. The flexible display panel12has a upper surface122and a bottom surface124opposite to each other. The upper surface122is a display surface of the flexible display panel12.

The force sensitive touch panel14comprises a first substrate142, a second substrate144and a plurality of piezoelectric sensors146. The first substrate142is disposed above the second substrate144and near the bottom surface124of the flexible display panel12. The piezoelectric sensors146are disposed between the first substrate142and the second substrate144. In specific, the materials of the first substrate142and the second substrate144may be polycarbonate (so-called PC), polyethersulfone (so-called PES), polymethyl methacrylate (so-called PMMA), novolac plastic, glass or stainless steel. In addition, the piezoelectric sensor146may comprise force sensitive resistors.

Specially, the force sensitive touch panel14in this embodiment further comprises a plurality of supporting pillars148disposed against and between the flexible display panel12and the second substrate144. The supporting pillars148is used for keeping the distance between the flexible display panel12and the force sensitive touch panel14to avoid the inappropriate action of the piezoelectric sensor146resulted from the gravity of the flexible display panel12before the force sensitive touch panel14being pressed.

It should be noted that the invention is not limited to the relative horizontal positions and the ratio of the area of the force sensitive touch panel14and the flexible display panel12. As shown inFIG. 2AtoFIG. 2D, the area of the force sensitive touch panel14may be about equal or less than a half of the area of the flexible display panel12and corresponding any part of the flexible display panel12. Alternatively, the area of the force sensitive touch panel14may be larger than a half of the area of the flexible display panel12. The area of the force sensitive touch panel14is not limited in the invention.

In addition, a quadrangle force sensitive touch panel14is taken as the example in the embodiment, but it is not only limited to the shape of the force sensitive touch panel14. The shape of the force sensitive touch panel14may also be a circular or polygon shape, as shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4.

In the display device with touch panel10, since the force sensitive touch panel14is under the flexible display panel12, the light is transmitted into or out of the flexible panel12without passing through the force sensitive touch panel14. Therefore, the energy loss of the light passing through the force sensitive touch panel14may be prevented. Thus, the displaying brightness of the display device with touch panel10is improved.

Accordingly, since the force sensitive touch panel14is disposed only on a portion of the flexible display panel12, even the force sensitive touch panel14consists of a rigid substrate, the other portions of the flexible display panel12without bonding with the force sensitive touch panel14is also flexible, as shown inFIG. 5. Therefore, the display device with touch panel10is consistent with the trend of the miniaturization of the portal electronic produces.

The fabricating method of the display device with touch panel of the invention is described in following paragraphs.FIG. 6AtoFIG. 6Dare schematic cross-section views illustrating the display device with touch panel during fabricating process according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring toFIG. 6Afirst, the flexible panel12having the upper surface112and the bottom surface124opposite to each other is provided. Then, a force sensitive touch panel14is formed under a portion of the flexible display panel12. In detail, the method of forming the force sensitive touch panel14under a portion of the flexible display panel12of this embodiment comprises forming an adhesion layer13on a first substrate142, as shown inFIG. 6B. Next, the first substrate142is adhered under a portion of the flexible display panel12by the adhesion layer13, as shown inFIG. 6C.

ReferringFIG. 6D, a plurality of piezoelectric sensors146are disposed on the second substrate144. The piezoelectric sensors146may comprise force sensitive resistors. Specifically, a plurality of supporting pillars148are disposed on the second substrate144to keep the distance between the flexible display panel12and the force sensitive touch panel14in this embodiment. Finally, the second substrate144with the piezoelectric sensors146and the first substrate142are assembled to each other for forming the force sensitive touch panel14. The supporting pillars148are disposed against and between the flexible display panel12and the second substrate144of the force sensitive touch panel14. The flexible display panel12and the force sensitive touch panel14are assembled to form the display device with touch panel10as shown inFIG. 1.

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 8AtoFIG. 8C, in another embodiment of the invention, the method of forming the force sensitive touch panel14comprises adhering a substrate1420under the flexible display panel12first, as shown inFIG. 8A. Next, a portion of the substrate1420is removed to form the first substrate142under the flexible display panel12. In this embodiment, a portion of the substrate1420is removed by laser cutting method. In detail, the process of removing the portion of the substrate1420comprises cutting the substrate1420to a first partial substrate1422and a second partial substrate1424first, as shown inFIG. 8B. Next, the first partial substrate1422under removing is illuminated by a laser beam and then departed from the flexible display panel12, as shown inFIG. 8C. Then, the first partial substrate1422departed from the flexible display panel12is removed and the second partial substrate1424adhered with the flexible display panel12is considered the first substrate142. The follow-up fabricating process of the force sensitive touch panel14is described as the aforementioned embodiment and shown inFIG. 6D, it is unnecessary to say herein.

In summary, since the force sensitive touch panel is disposed under the flexible display panel in the invention, the light is transmitted into or out of the flexible display panel without passing through the force sensitive touch panel. Therefore, the energy loss of the light passing through the force sensitive touch panel may be prevented. Thus, the displaying brightness of the display device with touch panel is improved.

Moreover, since the force sensitive touch panel is disposed under a portion of the flexible display panel, the other portions of the flexible display panel without bonding with the force sensitive touch panel is also flexible. Therefore, the display device with touch panel is consistent with the trend of the miniaturization of the portal electronic produces.