Touch panel and a manufacturing method thereof

The present disclosure provides a touch panel which at least comprises a sensing area, a conductive wire area, and earthing lines. The conductive wire area surrounds the sensing area and is electrically connected to the sensing area, and the conductive wire area comprises a first conductive wire area and a second conductive wire area. The earthing lines are set between the first conductive wire area and the second conductive wire area. The touch panel can efficiently shield signal crosstalk between the first conductive wire area and the second conductive wire area by setting the earthing lines between the first conductive wire area and the second conductive wire area, thereby reducing the influence of signal crosstalk on efficiency of the touch panel.

This application claims the benefit of Chinese application No 201210113781.6, filed on Apr. 17, 2012.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an input interface. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a touch panel based input interface.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the present market of various consumer electronic products, touch panels are being widely used in portable electronic products such as PDAs, mobile phones, notebooks and tablet PCs to act as an interface for information communication. Moreover, since all the existing electronic products are designed with an Objective of being light thin, short and small is not enough space in a product for containing traditional input devices such as keyboard, mouse, etc., and especially, driven by the demand for humanized tablet PCs, touch panels have became a key component.

A conventional touch panel usually comprises a substrate, on which a sensing area and a conductive wire area surrounding the sensing area are disposed. First electrodes and second electrodes are distributed on the sensing area of the substrate according to one or more design patterns. First conductive wires and second conductive wires are distributed on the conductive wire area of the substrate and are electrically connected to the first electrodes and the second electrodes. First signals in the first electrodes and second signals in the second electrodes are transmitted to touch chips via first conductive wires and second conductive wires. According to Maxwell law, there exists magnetic field as long as there is an electrical current, and interference between magnetic fields is a source of single crosstalk. The first conductive wires and the second conductive wires within the conductive wire area are usually made of metal, and their spatial positions are extremely close and therefore, there exists a signal crosstalk between them. The signal crosstalk is also likely to emerge between the first conductive wires and the second electrodes and between the second conductive wires and the first electrodes. Signal crosstalk can cause loss and errors in data transmission, thereby affecting the normal use of the touch panel.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In view of this, the present disclosure provides a touch panel, on a specific position of belt earthing lines are set to reduce the signal crosstalk of the touch panel and thereby improve signal stability of the touch panel.

The touch panel provided in the present disclosure at least comprises a sensing area, a conductive wire area, and earthing lines. The conductive wire area surrounds the sensing area and is electrically connected to the sensing area, wherein the conductive wire area comprises a first conductive wire area and a second conductive wire area. The earthily lines are set between the first conductive wire area and the second conductive wire area.

Based on the foregoing description, the touch panel provided in the present disclosure can effectively shield signal crosstalk in the first conductive wire area and the second conductive wire area by setting earthing lines between the first conductive wire area and the second conductive wire area such that influence of the signal crosstalk on the efficiency of the integral touch panel is reduced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

For those skilled in the art to understand the present disclosure, numerous embodiments are described below, combined with drawings to minutely illustrate the matters of the disclosure and the purpose thereof.

With reference toFIG. 1˜FIG.3,FIG. 1Ais a schematic top view of a first preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, a idleFIG. 1BandFIG. 1Care schematic top views of other two modes of the first preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.FIG. 2Ais a schematic enlarged view of part I ofFIG. 1AandFIG. 2Bis a schematic enlarged view of part II ofFIG. 1A.FIG. 3Ais a schematic sectional view ofFIG. 2Aalong the line AA′, andFIG. 3Bis a schematic sectional view ofFIG. 2Balong the line AA′. In order to make it convenient for illustration and fix easier understanding of the present disclosure, drawings of the present embodiment are only schematic drawings, and their detailed proportions can be adjusted according to design requirements.

As shown inFIG. 1Aa touch panel100provided in the present disclosure at least comprises a sensing area120, a conductive wire area130surrounding the sensing area120and electrically connected to the sensing area120, wherein the conductive wire area130comprises a first conductive wire area145and a second conductive wire area155, and earthing lines180set between the first conductive wire area145and the second conductive wire area155with at least one end earthed, thereby being able to efficiently shield signal crosstalk between the first conductive wire area145and the second conductive wire area155.

Generally speaking, the sensing area120and the conductive wire area130are formed on a substrate110, wherein the sensing area120can be a visible area of the screen of the touch panel100, while the conductive wire area130can be a non-transparent masking area. The sensing area120comprises a plurality of first electrodes140and a plurality of second electrodes150, wherein the first electrodes140are arranged in parallel along a first direction, and the second electrodes150are arranged in parallel along a second direction, the first direction intersecting with the second direction, and wherein the first electrodes140and the second electrodes150are mutually insulated at the intersections. In this embodiment, the first direction is X axis and the second direction is Y axis the X axis being vertical to the Y axis, but it is not limited herein. The conductive wire area130comprises the first conductive wire area145and the second conductive wire area155, wherein a plurality of first conductive wires146are set within the first conductive wire area145and are electrically connected to the first electrodes140, and wherein a plurality of second conductive wires156are set within the second conductive wire area155and are electrically connected to the second electrodes150. First connecting parts138and second connecting parts148are set within the conductive wire area130wherein electrical connection of the first electrodes140is achieved by the first connecting parts138and electrical connection of the second electrodes150is achieved by the second connecting parts148.

As shown inFIG. 1A,FIG. 1BandFIG. 1Cthe earthing lines180can be extended from the area adjacent to the first conductive wire area145and the second conductive wire area155to the conductive wire area130, and are electrically insulated from the conductive wire area130. The extended earthing lines180can be located in the first conductive wire area145or the second conductive wire area155. Specifically, the earthing lines180can be extended along the second direction or the first direction) to intersect with the first connecting parts138(or the second connecting parts148), and are electrically insulated from the first connecting parts138(or the second connecting parts148). The extension section of the earthing lines180can not only be electrically isolated from the earthing lines180distributed within the area adjacent to the first conductive wire area145and the second conductive wire area155, but also be electrically connected with these earthing lines180. At least one end of each earthing line180is earthed.

As shown inFIG. 2A, the first connecting part138in the first preferred embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a first electrode extension part142and a first electrode bridging layer144, wherein the first electrode bridging layer144is electrically connected to the first electrode extension part142. As shown inFIG. 2B, the second connecting part148comprises a second electrode extension part152and a second electrode bridging layer154, wherein the second electrode extension part152is electrically connected to the second electrode bridging layer154. Insulating blocks160respectively cover the first connecting parts138and the second connecting parts148. It is to be noted that the covering was of these insulating blocks160are the areas above the first connecting parts138and the second connecting parts148, that is to say, these insulating blears160can cover the first electrode bridging layers144and the second electrode bridging layers154or cover the first electrode extension parts142and the second electrode extension parts152. As a result, due to the insulating blocks160, other conductive elements are not electrically connected with the first connecting parts138and the second connecting parts148to form electrical conduction while passing over theses connecting parts in the subsequent process.FIG. 3AandFIG. 3Bare respectively sectional views ofFIG. 2AandFIG. 2Balong the section line A-A′. As shown inFIG. 3AandFIG. 3B, a plurality of first conductive wires146and a plurality of second conductive wires156are electrically connected to the first electrode bridging layers144and the second electrode bridging layers154.

The earthing lines180are disposed on the insulating blocks160and intersect with the first connecting parts138and the second connecting parts148. The extended earthing lines180can shield crosstalk between the first conductive wires146and the second electrodes150, and can also shield crosstalk between the second conductive wires156and the first electrodes140. The earthing lines180can further surround the first conductive wires146and the second conductive wires156to achieve a better shielding effect. It is to be noted that the earthing lines180, the first conductive wires146, and the second conductive wires156can be formed in a single step or in multiple steps. The earthing lines180are electrically isolated because of the insulating blocks160and are able to cross over the first electrodes140and the second electrodes150, such that configuration of the earthing lines180is not subject to the configuration of other conductive wires and the earthing lines180can be located in a proper position according to the demand of manufacturing process.

The following text gives an illustration concerning different modes of touch panels of the present disclosure. To simplify the illustration, the following illustration mainly focuses on differences of various embodiments and does not repeat the identical points any more. Moreover, the same elements in the various embodiments of the present disclosure are marked with the same symbols to facilitate mutual contrast between various embodiments.

With reference toFIG. 4˜FIG.6,FIG. 4is a schematic top view of a second preferred embodiment of the preset disclosure;FIG. 5Ais a schematic enlarged view of part I ofFIG. 4;FIG. 5Bis a schematic enlarged view of part II ofFIG. 4;FIGS. 6A and 6Bare respectively schematic sectional views ofFIG. 5AandFIG. 5Balong the line AA′. As shown inFIG. 4, the distinction between the second preferred embodiment and the first preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is that the second embodiment has no first electrode bridging layers144or second electrode bridging layers154. It means that first conductive wires146and second conductive wires156are not electrically connected to the first electrode bridging layers144or to the second electrode bridging layers154anymore, but are instead electrically connected to first electrode extension parts142and second electrode extension parts152directly that is, first connecting parts138of the present embodiment only consist of the first electrode extension parts142, and second connecting parts148only consist of the second electrode extension parts152. Other structures are similar to those of the first preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, and enlarged views of the conductive extension parts are shown inFIG. 5AandFIG. 5B. The first electrode extension parts142or the second electrode extension parts157are covered with the insulating blocks160to impede conduction between earthing lines180and the conductive extension parts. Next, the first conductive wires146and the second conductive wires156are disposed on the first electrode extension parts142and the second electrode extension parts152, and the earthing lines180are set between a first conductive wire area145and a second conductive wire area155. The earthing lines180are further extended and disposed on the insulating blocks160to intersect with the first connecting parts138and the second connecting parts148. The earthing lines180can further surround the first conductive wires146and the second conductive wires156to achieve a better shielding effect.

Sectional views ofFIG. 5AandFIG. 5Bare respectively shown inFIG. 6AandFIG. 6B. The second preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has no transparent binding structures and its process is more simplified than that of the first preferred embodiment. The second embodiment can also achieve the effect of shielding signal crosstalk, thereby making the earthing lines180cross over the conductive layers and make the configuration more flexible.

Material of the first electrodes140and the second electrodes150in the embodiment of the present disclosure can include various kinds of transparent conductive materials such as, but not limited to ITO, IZO, CTO, AZO, ITZO, zinc oxide, cadmium oxide, HfO, InGaZnO, InGaZnMgO or InGaAlO. Material of the first electrode extension parts142and the second electrode extension parts152can include the foregoing transparent conductive materials. Material of the insulating blocks160can include insulating materials such as, but not limited to polyimide (PI). SiO2, SiN, SiCN or SiC. Material of the earthing lines180, the first conductive wires146, and the second conductive wires156can be selected from metals such as aluminum, copper, and silver or the foregoing transparent conductive materials, but it is not limited herein.

In conclusion, the present disclosure provides a touch panel structure which can efficiently shield signal crosstalk between a first conductive wire area and a second conductive wire area by setting earthing lines between the first conductive wire area and the second conductive wire area thereby reducing the influence of the signal crosstalk on the efficiency of the integral touch panel. The intersections between the earthing lines and first electrodes and between the earthing lines and second electrodes are set with insulating blocks, thus enabling the earthing hues to cross over the first electrodes and the second electrodes and not to be subject to the configuration of wires on a substrate, and thereby achieving a better shielding effect and variable circuit configurations. Moreover, sensitivity of the product can be improved and area of the circuit board can be reduced.

While certain embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions maybe made thereto without departing fpm the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been described by way of illustration and not limitations.