Touch panel

A touch panel including a substrate, first sensing series, second sensing series, first lines and second lines is provided. Each first sensing series includes first electrode portions and first crossing portions. Each second sensing series includes second electrode portions and second crossing portions. Any adjacent two among the first electrode portions and the second electrode portions are separated by a spacing region. Each first crossing portion crosses one second crossing portion. The first lines respectively connect to the first sensing series and extend to a bonding region of the substrate. The second lines are disposed along the spacing region to respectively connect to the second sensing series and extend to the bonding region. One second line connected to an Nth second sensing series crosses one second crossing portion of an Mth second sensing series, wherein N and M are different positive integers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 103103581, filed on Jan. 29, 2014. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a touch panel, and more particularly, to a touch panel with narrow border design.

2. Description of Related Art

With the blooming development in the electronic technology, and the prevalence of wireless communication and the Internet, various electronic products are gradually becoming indispensable in people's day-to-day life and work. For achieving the operation of the electronic device, the most common input-output (I/O) interface includes a keyboard, a mouse or a touch panel. Compared with the keyboard and the mouse, the touch panel is a simpler I/O interface which facilitates an intuitive operation. Therefore, the touch panel is usually applied as a communication interface between human and electronic device.

In addition to high sensibility and high precision, as a current trend in developing the touch panel, the border of the touch panel is required to be reduced as possible in order to satisfy demands of customer for exterior appearance of the electronic products. However, sensing electrodes of existing touch panel still need conductive lines for electrically connecting the sensing electrodes to bonding pads while some of the electrodes are extended laterally and the conductive lines connect the laterally extended sensing electrodes to the pads located at a side of the touch panel. Accordingly, a reserve area for disposing the conductive lines must be reserved at lateral sides of the touch panel, which makes it difficult to realize the touch panel with the narrow border design or even a borderless design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to a touch panel having a narrow border design or even a borderless design.

A touch panel according to an embodiment of the invention includes a substrate, a plurality of first sensing series, a plurality of second sensing series, a plurality of first lines and a plurality of second lines. The substrate has a bonding region and a sensing region adjacent to each other on a first direction. The first sensing series are disposed in the sensing region. Each of the first sensing series includes a plurality of first electrode portions and a plurality of first crossing portions which are alternately connected along the first direction. The second sensing series are disposed in the sensing region. Each of the second sensing series includes a plurality of second electrode portions and a plurality of second crossing portions which are alternately connected along the second direction, and the first direction intersects the second direction. Each of the second crossing portions crosses one of the first crossing portions; and any adjacent two among the second electrode portions and the first electrode portions, any adjacent two among the first electrode portions, and any adjacent two among the second electrode portions are separated by a spacing region, respectively. The first lines respectively connect to the first sensing series and extend to the bonding region. The second lines respectively connect to the second sensing series and extend to the bonding region. Each of the second lines is disposed along the spacing region. One of the second lines connected to an Nthsecond sensing series crosses one of the second crossing portions of an Mthsecond sensing series, wherein N and M are positive integers, and N is not equal to M.

In an embodiment of the invention, the second electrode portions of each of the second sensing series include two terminal electrode portions and at least one intermediate electrode portion, and the intermediate electrode portion is disposed between the two terminal electrode portions. The second lines are disposed between the terminal electrodes of the second sensing series.

In an embodiment of the invention, the boding region is adjacent to ends of the first sensing series.

In an embodiment of the invention, the boding region includes a first bonding region and a second bonding region, wherein the sensing region is located between the first bonding region and the second bonding region. The first lines extend to the first bonding region, and the second lines extend to the second bonding region.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first sensing series and the second electrode portions are made of a first layer, the second crossing portions are made of a second layer, and the first crossing portions and the second crossing portions are spaced apart by a first insulation layer. Meanwhile, the second lines may be made of the first layer, and the second line connected to the Nthsecond sensing series and the second crossing portion of the Mthsecond sensing series are spaced apart by the first insulation layer. Or, the second lines are made of a third layer, the first layer and the second layer are disposed between the third layer and the substrate, and the second line connected to the Nthsecond sensing series and the second crossing portion of the Mthsecond sensing series are spaced apart by a second insulation layer.

In an embodiment of the invention, the second sensing series and the first electrode portions are made of a first layer, the first crossing portions are made of a second layer, and the first crossing portions and the second crossing portions are spaced apart by an insulation layer. Accordingly, the second lines may be made of the first layer, and the second line connected to the Nthsecond sensing series and the second crossing portion of the Mthsecond sensing series are spaced apart by the insulation layer.

In an embodiment of the invention, a length distribution of the second lines is gradually increased before gradually decreasing in sequence along the second direction.

An electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention includes aforesaid touch panel and a display panel. The display panel has a display surface, and the touch panel is disposed on the display surface.

In an embodiment of the invention, the touch panel further includes a cover plate, and the substrate is attached on the cover plate. The cover plate has a light shielding region, wherein the light shielding region blocks the bonding region. A border width of the light shielding region at two opposite sides along the second direction is less than 5 mm.

Based on above, the lines for signal transmission are disposed on the spacing region between the electrode portions of the sensing series in the touch panel according to the embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the lines extending along a longitudinal direction of the substrate need not be disposed at additional border regions outside the area of the sensing series on a transverse direction of the substrate. Or, the lines extending along the transverse direction of the substrate need not be disposed at additional border regions outside the area of the sensing series on the longitudinal direction of the substrate. As a result, the touch panel having the narrow border design or even the borderless design may be provided according to the embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a top view of a touch panel according to first embodiment of the invention,FIG. 2is a cross-sectional view illustrating the touch panel ofFIG. 1along a sectional line A1-A1, andFIG. 3is a cross-sectional view illustrating the touch panel ofFIG. 1along a sectional line B1-B1. Referring toFIG. 1, a touch panel100includes a substrate110, a plurality of first sensing series120, a plurality of second sensing series130, a plurality of first lines140and a plurality of second lines150. The substrate110has a bonding region112and a sensing region114adjacent to each other on a first direction D1. The first sensing series120are disposed in parallel in the sensing region114. The second sensing series130are also disposed in parallel in the sensing region114. The first lines140respectively connect to the first sensing series120and extend to the bonding region112. The second lines150respectively connect to the second sensing series130and extend to the bonding region112. Each of the first sensing series120extends along the first direction D1, and each of the second sensing series130extends along a second direction D2, wherein the first direction D1intersects the second direction D2. In the present embodiment, the first direction D1is perpendicular to the second direction D2. However, in other embodiments, the first direction D1and the second direction D2may not be perpendicular to each other. In addition, a plurality of pads160may be disposed in the bonding region112, the first lines140and the second lines150respectively extend to the pads160. Nevertheless, in other embodiments, ends of the first lines140and the second lines150extended to the boding region112may be directly used to connect to a circuit board or external circuits to be considered as the pads. Accordingly, the pads160and the lines140and150may be integrated as one in the touch panel100.

More specifically, each of the first sensing series120includes a plurality of first electrode portions122and a plurality of first crossing portions124which are alternately connected along the first direction D1. Each of the second sensing series130includes a plurality of second electrode portions132and a plurality of second crossing portions134which are alternately connected along the second direction D2. Meanwhile, each of the second crossing portions134crosses one of the first crossing portions124, and any adjacent two among the second electrode portions132and the first electrode portions122are spaced apart by a spacing region G. In view ofFIG. 1, the first electrode portions122are portions of the first sensing series120which are relatively wider in width, whereas the first crossing portions124are portions of the first sensing series120which are relatively narrower in width. Similarly, the second electrode portions132and the second crossing portion134also include a size relation identical to the above. Further, each of the first electrode portions122and the second electrode portions132includes a contour outline similar to a diamond-shape, and the spacing region G is distributed on regions between the electrode portions122and132of the diamond-shape. Accordingly, the spacing region G shows a distribution of grids inFIG. 1.

Because the bonding region112is adjacent to ends of the first sensing series120, each of the first lines140extends from the connected first sensing series120outwardly along the first direction D1to the bonding region112. Further, each of the second lines150also extends from the connected second sensing series130to the bonding region112. However, in the present embodiment, each of the second lines150is disposed along the spacing region G. Therefore, each of the second lines150is bent into zigzag shape along the spacing region G. In the present embodiment, the second electrode portions132of each of the second sensing series130include two terminal electrode portions132A and at least one intermediate electrode portion132B, and the intermediate electrode portion132B is located between the two terminal electrode portions132A. Meanwhile, all of the second lines150are disposed between the terminal electrodes132A of the second sensing series130. In other words, it is not required to dispose any lines between ends of the second sensing series130and edges of the substrate110, such that the touch panel100may provide a thin border or no border at all. It should be noted that, the so-called border refers to a region between the ends of the second sensing series130and the edges of the substrate110in which a region between the ends of the first sensing series120and the edge of the substrate110(e.g., the bonding region112) may not be included.

In addition, the second lines150are disposed in the spacing region G, thus a part of the second lines150may cross over at least one of the second sensing series130. More specifically, one of the second lines150connected to an Nthsecond sensing series130crosses one of the second crossing portions134of an Mthsecond sensing series130, wherein N and M are positive integers, and N is not equal to M. In view ofFIG. 1, after outwardly arranging serial numbers in sequence from the bonding region112, the second sensing series130are arranged into the second sensing series130A to130F, and a 1stsecond sensing series130A to a 6thsecond sensing series130F respectively connect to the second lines150A to150F. Accordingly, the second line150B connected to the 2ndsecond sensing series130B crosses one of the second crossing portions134of the 1stsecond sensing series130A. The second line150C connected to the 3rdsecond sensing series130C crosses one of the second crossing portions134of the 1stsecond sensing series130A and one of the second crossing portions134of the 2ndsecond sensing series130B. Accordingly, the second line150F connected to the 6thsecond sensing series130F crosses one of the second crossing portion134in each of the 1stto 5thsecond sensing series130A to130E.

In the present embodiment, the first sensing series120and the second sensing series130are crossing each other, but the first sensing series120and the second sensing series130must be electrically independent from each other in order to realize touch-sensing functions. Accordingly, referring toFIG. 2andFIG. 3, the touch panel100further includes an insulation layer170, wherein the insulation layer170is disposed between crossing elements so as to maintain electrically independent for both the first sensing series120and the second sensing series130.

In view ofFIG. 2andFIG. 3, the entire first sensing series120and the second electrode portions132of the second sensing series130are made of a first layer, and the second crossing portions134of the second sensing series130are made of a second layer. The first layer and the second layer are spaced apart by the insulation layer170. More specifically, the insulation layer170is at least disposed at portions where the first layer and the second layer cross each other. In other words, the insulation layer170may be a plurality of island insulators respectively located between first crossing portions124and the second crossing portions134which cross each other.

In the present embodiment, the second lines150connected to the second sensing series130may also be made of the first layer. In view ofFIG. 1, a part of the second lines150crosses a part of the second crossing portions134. Accordingly, the insulation layer170may also be disposed between the second lines150and the second crossing portions134which cross each other. As a result, a relation in which the first sensing series120and the second sensing series130are electrically independent from each other may be realized by disposing the insulation layer170.

The first sensing series120, the second electrode portions132and the second lines150are made of the first layer and capable of being manufactured in the same manufacturing step. Therefore, even though the part of second lines150are disposed to cross the part of the second crossing portions134, it does not make an overall manufacturing process more complicated. Instead, the second lines150disposed and distributed along the spacing region G may provide the thin border, or even to realize a borderless design for the touch panel100.

FIG. 4is a top view of a touch panel according to second embodiment of the invention,FIG. 5is a cross-sectional view illustrating the touch panel ofFIG. 4along a sectional line A2-A2, andFIG. 6is a cross-sectional view illustrating the touch panel ofFIG. 4along a sectional line B2-B2. Referring toFIG. 4, a touch panel200includes a substrate110, a plurality of first sensing series120, a plurality of second sensing series130, a plurality of first lines140and a plurality of second lines250. More specifically, the present embodiment is similar to first embodiment. Particularly, reference numbers as recited in said two embodiments are referring to the same element. Description regarding the same elements may refer to related description in first embodiment, thus it is omitted hereinafter. Unlike first embodiment, the present embodiment includes a different disposition for the second lines250. In view ofFIG. 4andFIG. 6, the second lines250are belonging to neither the first layer where the first sensing series120and the second electrode portions132are located, nor the second layer where the second crossing portions134are located. The second lines250are substantially made of a third layer, and the first layer and the second layer are both located between the third layer and the substrate110. Meanwhile, the second lines250and the crossed second crossing portions134are spaced apart by an insulation layer280. Accordingly, the second sensing series130are electrically independent from one another. After numbering the second sensing series130in sequence, the second line250connected to an Nthsecond sensing series130and the second crossing portions134of an Mthsecond sensing series130are spaced apart by the insulation layer280, wherein N and M are positive integers, and N is not equal to M.

FIG. 7is a top view of a touch panel according to third embodiment of the invention.FIG. 8is a cross-sectional view illustrating the touch panel ofFIG. 7along a sectional line A3-A3, andFIG. 9is a cross-sectional view illustrating the touch panel ofFIG. 7along a sectional line B3-B3. b Referring toFIG. 7, a touch panel300includes a substrate110, a plurality of first sensing series320, a plurality of second sensing series330, a plurality of first lines340and a plurality of second lines350. The substrate110has a bonding region112and a sensing region114adjacent to each other on a first direction D1. The first sensing series320are disposed in parallel in the sensing region114. The second sensing series330are also disposed in parallel in the sensing region114. The first lines340respectively connect to the first sensing series320and extend to the bonding region112. The second lines350respectively connect to the second sensing series330and extend to the bonding region112. Each of the first sensing series320extends along the first direction D1, and each of the second sensing series330extends along a second direction D2, wherein the first direction D1intersects the second direction D2.

In the present embodiment, an arrangement layout of the first sensing series320and the second sensing series330in the top view is identical to that of first embodiment. Therefore, each of the first sensing series320includes a plurality of first electrode portions322and a plurality of first crossing portions324which are alternately connected along the first direction D1. Each of the second sensing series330includes a plurality of second electrode portions332and a plurality of second crossing portions334which are alternately connected along the second direction D2. Meanwhile, each of the second crossing portions334crosses one of the first crossing portions324, and any adjacent two among the second electrode portions332and the first electrode portions322are spaced apart by a spacing region G. Meanwhile, each of the first lines340extends from the first sensing series320outwardly along the first direction D1to the bonding region112. Further, each of the second lines350also extends from the connected second sensing series330to the bonding region112. However, in the present embodiment, each of the second lines350is disposed along the spacing region G. Accordingly, the touch panel300may provide the real thin border.

In the present embodiment, in view ofFIG. 8andFIG. 9, the entire second sensing series330and the second electrode portions322are made of a first layer, and the first crossing portions324are made of a second layer. Meanwhile, the first crossing portions324and the second crossing portions334are spaced apart by an insulation layer370. The second lines350may be made of the second layer as the same to the first crossing portions324. As similar to the foregoing embodiments, when the second sensing series330are arranged with serial numbers in sequence from the bonding region112, the second line350connected to an Nthsecond sensing series330and the second crossing portions334of an Mthsecond sensing series330are spaced apart by the insulation layer370. Herein, N and M are positive integers different from each other.

According to the foregoing embodiment, regardless of which layer are the electrode portions, connecting portions or the lines belonging to, the sensing series being electrically independent from each other may be realized as long as the crossing elements are in different layers and spaced apart from one another through an insulation layer. Therefore, said disposition regarding the layers is used only for demonstration and illustration, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. In view of first embodiment, the layer composed of the first sensing series120and the second electrode portions132may be manufactured only after the layer of the second crossing portions134is manufactured as a change instead of limited to a stacking order as shown inFIG. 2andFIG. 3. In addition, the disposition regarding the bonding region in the foregoing embodiments is also used only for demonstration and illustration.

FIG. 10is a top view of a touch panel according to fourth embodiment of the invention. Referring toFIG. 10, a touch panel400includes a substrate410, a plurality of first sensing series420, a plurality of second sensing series430, a plurality of first lines440and a plurality of second lines450. The substrate410includes a first bonding region412A, a second bonding region412B and a sensing region414, wherein the sensing region414is located between the first bonding region412A ad the second bonding region412B. Meanwhile, a disposing relation of the first sensing series420and the second sensing series430may refer to related description of first embodiment or related description of third embodiment. In other words, the first sensing series420and the sensing series430may be replaced by the first sensing series120and the second sensing series130of first embodiment. Or, the first sensing series420and the sensing series430may be replaced by the first sensing series320and the second sensing series330of third embodiment. In addition, the first lines440extend from the connected first sensing series420to the first bonding region412A, and the second lines450extend from the connected second sensing series430to the second bonding region412B. In other words, the first liners440and the second lines450respectively extend towards two opposite sides.

FIG. 11is a top view of a touch panel according to fifth embodiment of the invention. Referring toFIG. 11, a touch panel400includes a substrate510, a plurality of first sensing series520, a plurality of second sensing series530, a plurality of first lines540and a plurality of second lines550. The substrate510includes a bonding region512and a sensing region514, wherein the sensing region414and the bonding region512are adjacent to each other on the direction D1. Meanwhile, a disposing relation of the first sensing series520and the second sensing series530may refer to related description of first embodiment or related description of third embodiment. In other words, the first sensing series520and the sensing series530may be replaced by the first sensing series120and the second sensing series130of first embodiment. Or, the first sensing series520and the sensing series530may be replaced by the first sensing series320and the second sensing series330of third embodiment. In addition, the first lines440extend from the connected first sensing series520to the bonding region412, and the second lines450also extend from the connected second sensing series530to the bonding region412.

In the present embodiment, after outwardly arranging serial numbers in sequence from the bonding region112, the second sensing series530are arranged into the second sensing series530A to530F, and a 1stsecond sensing series530A to a 6thsecond sensing series530F respectively connect to the second lines550A to550F. Because the second sensing series530F is the one farthest away from the bonding region512, a wiring length of the second line550F is far the longest. If the second line550F is connected to an end of the sensing series530F, a signal transmitted in the second sensing series530F must pass through the entire second line550F and the entire second sensing series530F, which may result in delay or distortion to the signal. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, by connecting the second line550F to a center of the second sensing series530F, aforesaid problem may be solved since a transmission path of the signal is shorten.

In the present embodiment, the second lines550C,550E,550F,550D,550B and550A are sequentially distributed along the second direction D2, and a length distribution of second line550C,550E,550F,550D,550B and550A is gradually increased before gradually decreasing in sequence along the second direction D2. As a result, the problem based on impedance difference which is caused by the signal transmitted between different second sensing series530may then be mitigated.

FIG. 12illustrates a stacking relation of multiple elements in an electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention. Referring toFIG. 12, an electronic device10includes a touch panel12and a display panel4, wherein the touch panel12is disposed above a display surface14A of the display panel14. The touch panel12includes a substrate12A, a sensing element12B and a cover plate12C, wherein the sensing element12B is disposed on the substrate12A, and the substrate12A is attached on the cover plates12C. Meanwhile, a circuit board16is bonded on the substrate12A to be electrically connected to the sensing element12B.

More specifically, the substrate12A of the touch panel12may be the substrate as recited in any one of first to third, and fifth embodiments, and the sensing element12B may be the first sensing series, the second sensing series, the first lines and the second lines as recited in any one of the foregoing embodiments. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the cover plate12C includes a light shielding region BM, and the light shielding region BM at least blocks the bonding region (i.e., a region bonded to the circuit board16) of the substrate12A. For instance, the cover plate12C may be a glass plate, and the light shielding region BM is a region defined by a shielding pattern layer on the glass plate. In view ofFIG. 12, it is not required to dispose lines on edges S1and S2between the sensing element12B and the substrate12A. Therefore, a border width W1of the light shielding region BM may be reduced to be quite thin, wherein the edges S1and S2are at the two opposite sides along the second direction as recited in the foregoing embodiments. As a result, the electronic device10may include the narrow border design which meets demands in the market. For instance, the border width W1may be less than 5 mm, or may even be zero.

FIG. 13illustrates a stacking relation of multiple elements in an electronic device according to another embodiment of the invention. Referring toFIG. 3, an electronic device20is similar to the electronic device10ofFIG. 12, thus the same elements shown in the two embodiments are referred to the same reference number. More specifically, a difference between the electronic device20and the electronic device10is that, in a touch panel22of the electronic device20, a substrate22A and a sensing element22B has the same design as described in fourth embodiment. Therefore, the electronic device20includes two circuit boards26A and26B connected to two opposite sides of the substrate22A, respectively.

In summary, the lines are disposed on the spacing region between the electrode portions of the sensing series in the touch panel according to the embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the touch panel according to the embodiment of the invention may provide the thin border. In addition, the lines connected to the sensing series may be connected at the center of side series instead of limited to be connected to the ends of the sensing series. Therefore, when the signal is transmitted between the signal and the lines, a signal variation caused by impedance during transmission may be mitigated.