Flexible touch panel and display apparatus

The present disclosure provides a flexible touch panel and a display device. The flexible touch panel includes a flexible substrate baseplate and a flexible touch electrode pattern disposed on the flexible substrate baseplate, and a bendable area arranged on the flexible touch panel where the bendable area has at least one relatively fixed position, and at least part of the flexible touch electrode pattern is in the bendable area and has a cutoff region.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the priority of the Chinese Patent Application No. 201710051816.0 filed on Jan. 20, 2017, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of display, and particularly to a flexible touch panel and a display apparatus.

BACKGROUND

As flexible display technology develops, there are increasing demands for flexible touch panels. In consideration of optical performance, a touch electrode pattern of the touch panel is generally made of a transparent electrically conductive metallic material such as indium tin oxide (ITO). When the touch electrode pattern is applied to a foldable type flexible touch panel, the touch panel may be bent again and again at fixed positions within the flexible touch panel when using it.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a flexible touch panel and a display apparatus that may be bent.

The present disclosure provides a flexible touch panel. The flexible touch panel may include: a flexible substrate baseplate, and a touch electrode layer having a plurality of touch electrode patterns on the flexible substrate baseplate; where: the flexible touch panel has at least one bendable area, and at least one of the touch electrode patterns within the bendable area has a cutoff region to divide one electrode pattern into insulated portions.

In a possible implementation, each touch electrode pattern within the bendable area has the cutoff region to divide the electrode pattern into two substantially complementary portions.

In a possible implementation, each of the touch electrode patterns within the bendable area has the cutoff region to divide the one electrode pattern into the insulated portions.

In a possible implementation, connections of all cutoff regions within the bendable area bendable are substantially a straight line bendable area.

In a possible implementation, connections of all cutoff regions within the bendable area are substantially a bent line bendable area.

In a possible implementation, each touch electrode pattern within the bendable area has the cutoff region with central hollowed portions.

In a possible implementation, each touch electrode pattern within the bendable area comprises an outer contour.

In a possible implementation, a pattern line width of the outer contour of the touch electrode patterns within the bendable area is greater than 20 μm.

In a possible implementation, the flexible touch panel has one bendable area, the flexible touch panel is bendable along a first direction, and an extension direction of the bendable area is along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

In a possible implementation, the cutoff region substantially extends along the extension direction of the bendable area.

In a possible implementation, all the touch electrode patterns within the bendable area have the cutoff region to divide one electrode pattern into two insulated portions, and the two insulated portions are distributed symmetrically in respect to the cutoff region.

In a possible implementation, the flexible touch panel further includes a plurality of jumper line with each electrically connecting adjacent touch electrode patterns.

In a possible implementation, the bendable are have at least one jumper line, and at least part of the at least one jumper line within the bendable area in the cutoff region of the bendable area.

In a possible implementation, each of more than one jumper lines is a straight line having a cutoff part in the cutoff region.

In a possible implementation, each of the more than one jumper lines is a bent line having a cutoff part in the cutoff region.

In a possible implementation, touch electrode patterns located on two sides of the cutoff region are connected by separated signal wirings and a single touch chip.

In a possible implementation, touch electrode patterns located on two sides of the cutoff region are connected by separated signal wirings and different touch chips.

In a possible implementation, one part of the touch electrode patterns comprises touch driving electrodes and another part of the touch electrode patterns comprises touch sense electrodes.

In another aspect, the present disclosure further provides a display apparatus.

It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary only, and are not restrictive of the present disclosure

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Sometimes, due to poor flexibility of indium tin oxide (ITO) as shown inFIG. 1, the touch electrode pattern is prone to rupture nearby a bending line as shown by the dotted line inFIG. 1. When that happens, the flexible touch panel is destroyed.

Therefore, it is a technical problem to be solved to prevent the rupture of the touch electrode pattern from affecting the touch operation performance during use of the foldable type flexible touch panel.

Example implementations of the flexible touch panel and a display device according to embodiments of the present disclosure are described below in detail with reference to figures.

Shapes and sizes of components in the figures do not reflect real scale of the flexible touch panel and are only intended to illustrate the content of the present disclosure.

As shown inFIG. 2throughFIG. 7, a flexible touch panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may include: a flexible substrate baseplate100, a touch electrode layer having a plurality of touch electrode patterns on the flexible substrate baseplate, and the flexible touch electrode pattern200disposed on the flexible substrate baseplate100, and the flexible touch panel has at least one bendable area, and at least one of the touch electrode patterns within the bendable area300has a cutoff region to divide one electrode pattern into insulated portions.

The bendable area300arranged on the flexible touch panel and having at least one relatively fixed position, where at least part of the flexible touch electrode pattern200in the bendable area300has a cutoff region A that may divide the electrode pattern into two substantially complementary portions. Each of the touch electrode patterns within the bendable area has the cutoff region to divide the one electrode pattern into the insulated portions.

The bendable area200in the touch panel may be bended when needed. When the bendable area200is bended, the touch panel may be folded into two or multiple folds from a flat touch panel. Not all areas of the touch panel may be bent. When the touch panel is folded, the bendable area200may be bent and the rest of areas of the touch panel may not be bent, and may be the relatively fixed positions. The purpose of the bendable area200is for the touch panel to be folded. Sometimes, the bendable area300may have a cutoff region that may have a substantially 90% difference from the direction of the folding of the touch panel. For example, inFIG. 6, each bendable area300has a cutoff region that has a horizontal direction while the touch panel may be folded vertically. Thus, the flexible touch panel may have one bendable area, the flexible touch panel may be bendable along a first direction, and an extension direction of the bendable area may be along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The cutoff region may substantially extend along the extension direction of the bendable area. As such, all the touch electrode patterns within the bendable area may have the cutoff region to divide one electrode pattern into two insulated portions, and the two insulated portions may be distributed symmetrically in respect to the cutoff region.

However, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, sometimes, even though the direction of the folding is substantially vertical, the bendable area300may have the cutoff regions with more than one directions. Such directions may or may not be the same.

Thus, connections of all cutoff regions within the bendable area bendable may be substantially a straight line bendable area. Sometimes, connections of all cutoff regions within the bendable area are substantially a bent line bendable area as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4.

In the flexible touch panel, the flexible touch electrode pattern200may be liable for the rupture in the bendable area300which is at a relatively fixed position. A transparent electrically conductive material with poor flexibility such as ITO may be selected, for optical performance, as the material for making the flexible touch electrode pattern200. Therefore, in the bendable area300which is liable to rupture, at least part of the flexible touch electrode pattern200is directly arranged with the cutoff region A.

However, when at least part of the flexible touch electrode pattern200disposed in the bendable area300is removed, the location at the cutoff region A may be enabled to release stress when it is bent. Thus, damages caused by the stress generated by the bending to the flexible touch electrode pattern200may be avoided in the bendable area300, and at the same time, the removal of the part of flexible touch electrode pattern in the bendable area does not affect the touch operation performance.

It should be noted that the flexible touch panel according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be adapted for a flexible display panel having a relatively fixed folding position. Generally, the bendable area300is located in the middle of the flexible touch panel, for example, on a central axis. Sometimes, the bendable area300may be disposed closely at an edge position of the flexible touch panel in accordance with the requirement of some applications. Also, the number of the bendable areas300may be one or more.

The following examples describe the scenarios that the bendable area300is disposed in the middle of the flexible touch panel. However, in practice, the bendable area300may be in the other areas of the flexible touch panel.

In the flexible touch panel according to the embodiment of the disclosure, at least part of the flexible touch electrode pattern200in the bendable area300is arranged to contain a cutoff region A. The flexible touch electrode patterns200on two sides of the cutoff region A may be independent from each other and may be spaced apart by the cutoff region A.

To ensure normal performance of touch detection, it is possible to respectively arrange a separated signal wiring connected with a touch chip at the flexible touch electrode patterns200on two sides of the cutoff region A. The flexible touch electrode patterns200on each side of the cutoff region A is connected with the touch chip via a corresponding signal wiring respectively.

When the flexible touch electrode pattern200is completely cut off at the bendable area300as shown inFIG. 2throughFIG. 5, the flexible touch electrode pattern200is divided into two completely independent pattern regions along the location of the cutoff region A. A left pattern and a right pattern as shown in the figures.

Thus, it is possible to respectively use an independent touch chip to control the left pattern and right pattern to execute the touch detection function. The flexible touch panel may be considered as two independent panels. The flexible touch electrode patterns200located on two sides of the cutoff region A may be respectively connected with different touch chips through respective signal wirings. Thus, touch electrode patterns located on two sides of the cutoff region may be connected by separated signal wirings and a single touch chip. Also, touch electrode patterns located on two sides of the cutoff region are connected by separated signal wirings and different touch chips.

In a possible implementation, one part of the touch electrode patterns may include touch driving electrodes and another part of the touch electrode patterns may include touch sense electrodes.

In the flexible touch panel according to the embodiment of the disclosure, to make the location of the cutoff region A of the flexible touch electrode pattern200in the bendable area300invisible as much as possible and to mitigate the impact on display consistency of the flexible touch panel, in one implementation, the location of the cutoff region A of the flexible touch electrode pattern200may be as small as possible. Thus, a gap of the cutoff region A should be as narrow as possible, and the pattern at the location of the cutoff region A may be designed as disorderly as possible to make the location not easily be noticed.

In one implementation, in the flexible touch panel according to the embodiment of the disclosure, the flexible touch electrode pattern200, as shown inFIG. 2throughFIG. 7, generally may include: touch driving electrodes210and touch induction electrodes220. An extension direction of the touch driving electrodes210may be a horizontal direction as shown inFIG. 2throughFIG. 7. Correspondingly, an extension direction of the touch induction electrodes220may be a vertical direction. Alternatively, the extension direction of the touch driving electrodes210may be a vertical direction, and correspondingly, the extension direction of the touch induction electrodes220may be a horizontal direction. The extension directions may have many variations. The touch driving electrodes210and touch induction electrodes220may be generally shaped as a diamond.

In some embodiments, the touch driving electrodes210and touch induction electrodes220may be shaped as square or circle. In some embodiments, the touch driving electrodes210and touch induction electrodes220are shaped as the same. In some embodiments, shapes of the touch driving electrodes210and touch induction electrodes220are different from each other.

The flexible touch electrode pattern200, as shown inFIG. 2throughFIG. 7, generally may include: a jumper line230that bridges adjacent touch driving electrodes210or adjacent touch induction electrodes220. The bendable area may have at least one jumper line, and at least part of the at least one jumper line within the bendable area may be in the cutoff region of the bendable area InFIG. 2throughFIG. 7, the example is provided to show the jumper line230to bridge adjacent touch driving electrodes210. The jumper line may also bridge adjacent touch induction electrodes which is not shown inFIG. 2throughFIG. 7. Thus, a plurality of jumper line with each electrically connecting adjacent touch electrode patterns.

In the flexible touch panel according to the embodiment of the disclosure, the touch driving electrodes210and touch induction electrodes220included by the flexible touch electrode pattern200generally may use a transparent electrically conductive material such as ITO. The jumper line230may use either a metallic material or a transparent electrically conductive material. The present disclosure does not limit the use of materials.

Based on the above flexible touch electrode pattern200, in the flexible touch panel according to the embodiment of the disclosure, there may be the cutoff region A with different patterns depending on different structures of the flexible touch electrode pattern200included in the bendable area300. Detailed depictions are provided by describing several examples below.

In the flexible touch panel according to the present embodiment, as shown inFIG. 2throughFIG. 4, the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220included in the bendable area300have the cutoff region Ain the extension direction of the bendable area300.

In one implementation, the electrodes located in the cutoff region A need to be determined according to whether the flexible touch electrode pattern200included at the location of the bendable area300is in the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220. Each ofFIG. 2throughFIG. 4exemplarily illustrates the bendable area300covering the touch driving electrodes210as an example. In the extension direction of the bendable area300, multiple touch driving electrodes210in the bendable area300contain the cutoff region A.

Specific graphs for performing the cutoff processing may employ multiple manners. For example, performing the cutoff processing may be in a straight line manner as shown inFIG. 2, performing the cutoff processing may be in a bent line manner as shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4, or performing the cutoff processing may be in a curved line manner. Performing the cutoff processing may also be in other ways which are not elaborated herein. In another implementation, the cutoff graph resulting from the cutoff processing in the bent line manner may be more disorderly than that resulting from the cutoff processing in the straight line manner and may not be easily noticed. However, the graphs other than the straight line may be more complicated, and may impose certain requirements for the precision of the manufacturing process.

As shown inFIG. 2, the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220included in the bendable area300have a straight line cutoff region A in the extension direction of the bendable area300. As shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4, the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220included in the bendable area300have a bent line cutoff region Ain the extension direction of the bendable area300. When the cutoff processing is performed in the bent line manner, the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220included in the bendable area300may have a serrated bent line cutoff region A as shown inFIG. 3or a concave and convex bent line cutoff region A as shown inFIG. 4in the extension direction of the bendable area300.

In the flexible touch panel according to the present embodiment, when the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220in the bendable area300are cut off, it may further perform a hollowing processing at the cutoff location to further release the stress during the bending.

As shown inFIG. 5, the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220having the straight line cutoff region A further have a central hollowed region B including the cutoff region A. A central region of the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220having the cutoff region A is hollowed on the basis of the cutoff region A. Thus, the touch electrode pattern within the bendable area may have the cutoff region with central hollowed portions.

Such hollowed region B and the cutoff region A in the hollowed region B may facilitate the folding of the touch panel. When the foldable area as shown inFIG. 5is substantially hollowed, the touch panel may be folded along the cutoff region A without much resistance. Because the foldable area is hollowed, the touch panel may be folded repeatedly without wearing out the foldable area.

In one implementation, the shape of the hollow may vary. For example, it may be a shape such as circle, rectangle or polygon. However, a maximum hollowing degree should be a pattern line width that may be ensured by the capacity of the process. The hollowing should ensure integrity of outer contour of the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220. Each touch electrode pattern within the bendable area may have the cutoff region with central hollowed portions.

For example, as shown inFIG. 5, the central hollowed regions B of the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220having the straight line cutoff region A are arranged to match the outer contour of the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220. The pattern line width of the touch driving electrodes210or touch induction electrodes220having the central hollowed regions B may be greater than 20 μm. Thus, the pattern line width of the outer contour of the touch electrode patterns within the bendable area may be greater than 20 μm.

In Example 1 and Example 2, by means of designing the location of the bendable area300, it may ensure that the touch driving electrodes210or the touch induction electrodes220having the cutoff region A are distributed symmetrically in respect to the cutoff region A.

In the flexible touch panel according to the present embodiment, as shown inFIG. 6andFIG. 7, when the bendable area300includes the jumper line230, at least part of the jumper line230included in the bendable area300may have the cutoff region A. As such, the impact exerted by the stress to the jumper line230may be reduced and the rupture of the jumper line230which may affect the touch operation performance can be prevented. Thus, each of more than one jumper lines may be a straight line having a cutoff part in the cutoff region. Sometimes, the more than one jumper lines may also be a bent line having a cutoff part in the cutoff region.

In one implementation, it is possible to perform the cutoff processing for all jumper lines230, or a part of lines230included in the bendable area300or other variations which are not elaborated herein. For example, as shown inFIG. 6, each of jumper lines230that are located on the same straight line may be arranged to have the cutoff region A. Alternatively, as shown inFIG. 7, each of jumper lines230that extend in the bent line may be arranged to have the cutoff region A. In bothFIG. 6andFIG. 7, the cutoff region A is illustrated as jumper lines230that have dotted lines. The jumper lines230having dotted lines are to be moved. In practice, it is possible to remove merely part of jumper lines rather than the whole jumper lines in order to perform the cutoff processing.

It should be noted that in the flexible touch panel according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the cutoff processing may be performed only for the touch driving electrodes210or for touch induction electrodes220included in the bendable area300. Alternatively, the cutoff processing may be performed only for the jumper lines230included in the bendable area300, or simultaneously for the touch driving (induction) electrodes210(220) and the jumper lines230included in the bendable area300. Other variations may be available and the present disclosure does not elaborate.

Based on the same disclosed concept, embodiments of the present disclosure may further provide a display device. The display device may include the flexible touch panel described above according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The display device may be any product or component having the display function such as a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a TV set, a display, a notebook computer, a digital photo frame or a navigator. The implementation of the display device may refer to the above embodiments of the flexible touch panel. Thus, the present disclosure does not described repeatedly herein.

In the flexible touch panel and display device according to the embodiments of the disclosure, the flexible touch electrode pattern may be liable to rupture at the bendable area at a fixed position when a transparent electrically conductive material with an undesirable flexibility is selected as the material for making the flexible touch electrode pattern for optical performance. Therefore, in the bendable area which is liable to rupture, at least part of the flexible touch electrode pattern may be directly arranged as a cutoff region. Thus, at least part of the flexible touch electrode pattern which should have been disposed in the bendable area is removed, thereby enabling these cutoff locations to release stress when the bendable area is bent. Also, damages caused by the stress generated by the bending to the flexible touch electrode pattern in the bendable area may be avoided. Such arrangement may not affect the touch operation performance.

Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various modification and variations to embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. As such, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of claims of the present disclosure and equivalent technologies thereof, the present disclosure is intended to cover these modifications and variations.