Capacitive touch screen and mask device for manufacturing the same

A capacitive touch screen includes a substrate (01), a touch electrode layer (02), and a decorative layer (03). The substrate (01) has a first surface, the first surface includes a first region (011) and a second region (012), and the second region (012) is positioned on one side of the first region (011), the decorative layer (03) is formed on the second region (012). The touch electrode layer (02) is formed on the first region (011) of the first surface, and the touch electrode layer (02) extends above the decorative layer (03) on the second region (012), the touch electrode layer (02) includes a plurality of touch patterns, two adjacent touch patterns on the first region (011) are provided with a first gap (04) therebetween, two adjacent touch patterns on the second region (012) are provided with a second gap (05) therebetween, and a width of the second gap (05) is greater than a width of the first gap (04).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a field of touch technology, and more particularly, relates to a capacitive touch screen and a mask device for manufacturing the capacitive screen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A common capacitive touch screen includes at least one substrate. The substrate is provided with a touch electrode thereon. The touch electrode generally includes an inducing electrode (TX) and a detecting electrode (RX). As a common electrode structure, the inducing electrode and the detecting electrode can be positioned on one layer, and intersects with each other according to an electrode row-electrode column form. A capacitance is generated between the including electrode and the adjacent detection electrode. In order to meet a requirement of the touch performance on the edge of a touch product, the electrode pattern region should extends outwardly from the visible area (VA) to the ink BM (black matrix) region. The characteristics such as impedance and capacitance of the capacitor are influenced due to an introduction of the dielectric substance BM, which results in a characteristic difference between the BM region and the VA area, and further leading to a touch sensitivity difference. Furthermore, due to the introduction of the BM, the manufacturing of the electrode patterns on the BM region and the VA area are different, for example, their etching rates are different, and the etching rate of the electrode on the BM region is difficult to be controlled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is necessary to provide a capacitive touch screen, aiming at eliminating an influence to a touch electrode characteristics caused by ink, and ensuring a touch performance consistence between an ink region and a non-ink region, and facilitating to process.

A capacitive touch screen includes: a first substrate having a first surface, the first surface including a first region and a second region, and the second region being positioned on at least one side of the first region; a touch electrode layer formed on the first region of the first surface; and a decorative layer formed on the second region; wherein the touch electrode layer extends above the decorative layer on the second region, the touch electrode layer includes a plurality of touch patterns, two adjacent touch patterns located on the first region are provided with a first gap therebetween, two adjacent touch patterns located on the second region are provided with a second gap therebetween, and a width of the second gap is greater than a width of the first gap.

A mask device for manufacturing a capacitive touch screen includes: a substrate having a second surface, and the second surface including a third region and a fourth region, the fourth region being positioned on at least one side of the third region; and a shielding layer positioned on the third region of the second surface and extending to the fourth region, wherein the shielding layer includes a plurality of shielding patterns, two adjacent shielding patterns on the third region are provided with a third gap therebetween, two adjacent shielding patterns on the fourth region are provided with a fourth gap therebetween, a width of the fourth gap is greater than a width of the third gap.

A touch display device includes: a display module including two substrates and a liquid crystal molecular layer sandwiched between the two substrates, and a surface of one substrate is provided with a TFT array; a common electrode positioned on one substrate which is located on a light emitting side; and a color filter, wherein one surface of the color filter is provided, with a color filter film, the other surface of the color filter is provided with the decorative layer and the touch electrode layer described above.

By improving the structure of the touch electrode, the gaps between the touch patterns on the first region (e.g., the visible area) and the second region (the region where the decorative layer located, the ink region for example) are different, and a width of the second gap of the second region is greater than a width of the first gap on the first region. Such improvement has following advantages: on one aspect, due to an introduction of the decorative layer, the capacitance characteristics of the first region and the second region are different. The capacitance can generally be increased when the width of the second gap is increased, and as the same time, the capacitance can be decreased, therefore, the influence brought by the decorative layer can be eliminated to some extent, thus ensuring a same touch sensitivity on different regions. On another aspect, due to the decorative layer, the etching rate of the electrode on the first region and the second region are different, the etching rate of the electrode on the second region is slower and is difficult to be controlled, then when the second gap is broadened, it is convenient for adjusting the etching rate and processing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 1andFIG. 2, a capacitive touch screen100according to one embodiment includes a substrate01, a touch electrode layer02, and a decorative layer03. The substrate01is provided with a first surface010. The first surface010includes a first region011and a second region012. The second region012is positioned on one side of the first region011, or alternatively, the second region012can be positioned on two opposite sides of the first region011, or the second region012surrounds the first region011. The decorative layer03is formed on the second region012. The first region011is generally corresponding to a visible area, the second region012is corresponding to a non-visible area, which is provided with the decorative layer03. The decorative layer03can be made by opaque material such as black, white or color ink. The touch electrode layer02is formed on the first region011of the first surface010, and extends above the decorative layer03on the second region012. The touch electrode layer02includes a plurality of touch patterns. Two adjacent touch patterns located on the first region011are provided with a first gap04therebetween. Two adjacent touch patterns located on the second region012are provided with a second gap05therebetween. A width of the second gap05is greater than a width of the first gap04.

In one embodiment, the touch pattern can include a plurality of first electrode arrays and a plurality of second electrode arrays. The first electrode array and the second electrode array intersect with each other. The first electrode array includes a plurality of first electrode units021and a plurality of connecting bands022interconnecting two adjacent first electrode units021. The connecting band022can be integrally formed with the first electrode unit022. The second electrode array is divided into a plurality of second electrode units023by the first electrode array. Two adjacent second electrode units023are connected to each other via a connecting bridge024which bridges the connecting band022. The connecting band022is isolated from the connecting bridge024via an insulating block. The first electrode unit021and the adjacent second electrode unit023which are positioned on the first region011cooperatively form the first gap04therebetween. The first electrode unit021and the adjacent second electrode unit023which are positioned on the second region012cooperatively form the second gap05therebetween.

As shown inFIG. 3, taking a rectangular (but not limited to rectangular) electrode unit for an example, the first electrode unit021and the second electrode unit023which are positioned on the second region012are provided with the second gap05therebetween, the second gap05has a width a, in the first region011, the first electrode unit021and the second electrode unit023are provided with the first gap04therebetween, the first gap04has a width b. The width a of the second gap05is greater than the width b of the first gap04. In one embodiment, a≥2b. In the embodiment, a=100 um, b=30 um.

In the present embodiment, the structure of the touch electrode is improved, it allows the gaps between the touch patterns on the first region011and the second region012to be different, the width a of the second gap05of the second region012is greater than the width b of the first gap04on the first region011, such improvement has advantages as follows: on one aspect, due to an introduction of the decorative layer03, the capacitance characteristics of the first region011and the second region012are different, and the capacitance can generally be increased, when the width of the second gap05is increased, the capacitance can be decreased, therefore, the influence brought by the decorative layer03can be eliminated to some extent, thus ensuring a same touch sensitivity on different regions. On another aspect, due to the decorative layer03, the etching rate of the electrode on the first region011and the second region012are different, the etching rate of the electrode on the second region012is slower and is difficult to be controlled, then when the second gap05is broadened, it is convenient for adjusting the etching rate and processing.

In one embodiment, because the gap between the first electrode unit021and the second electrode unit023on the second region012is relative broadened, thus the gap between two adjacent first electrode units021and the gap between two adjacent second electrode units023are enlarged, therefore, a length of the connecting bridge024connecting two adjacent second electrode units023is longer than a length of the connecting bridge024on the first region011.

Furthermore, the connecting bridge024can be broadened to improve a stability of a connection of the connecting bridge024. The broadened connecting bridge024can reduce the impedance of the second electrode array, thus improving a touch performance.

Similarly, as the gap between the first electrode units021is increased, the connecting band022interconnecting two adjacent first electrode units021can also be lengthened, and can further be broadened, and then the impedance of the first electrode array is reduced, improving a touch performance.

In one embodiment, the substrate01is a substrate dedicated to support the touch electrode layer02, and a covering plate is provided to cover a surface of the substrate01, the surface is provided with the touch electrode layer02and the decorative layer03. In the other embodiment, the covering plate can serve as a substrate, and the touch electrode layer02and the decorative layer03is positioned on an inner surface of the covering plate. In another embodiment, the touch electrode layer02and the decorative layer03can also be positioned on a surface of a CF (color filter) substrate, and then a coving plate covers the CF substrate.

A touch display device according to one embodiment includes a display module. The display module includes two substrates and a liquid crystal molecular layer sandwiched between the two substrates. A surface of one substrate is provided with a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) array. The substrate which is located on the light emitting side can be provided with a common electrode, and also can support a color filter film. Or else, the CF substrate can be additionally provided, one surface of the CF substrate is provided with a color filter film, the other surface of the CF substrate is provided with above decorative layer and the touch electrode layer.

In one embodiment, the gap between the touch patterns on the second region is broadened, thereby eliminating a capacitance characteristic difference between the first region and the second region which is caused by the decorative layer, and ensuring a consistence of the touch sensitivity, and it is convenient for adjusting the etching rate by broadening the gap between the touch patterns, facilitating to enhance a yield of the product. Meanwhile, by virtue of broadening the connecting bridge and the connecting hand, the impedance of the touch electrode can be reduced, the touch experience can be improved. The touch electrode structure is suitable for applying to a touch screen which requires a strengthen touch sensitivity on the edge of the touch screen. The touch screen can be OGS (One Glass Solution) touch screen, it has a simple structure and can be easily realized by ordinary technical art.

In one embodiment, a mask device is provided as an auxiliary fixture to manufacture a capacitive touch screen, and the mask device has a structure corresponding to above described touch screen. Referring toFIG. 4, The mask device includes a substrate06and a shielding, layer07. The substrate06has a second surface, and the second surface includes a third region061and a fourth region062. The fourth region062is positioned on at least one side of the third region061. The shielding layer07is positioned on the third region061of the second surface, and the shielding layer07extends to the fourth region062. The shielding layer07includes a plurality of shielding patterns, two adjacent shielding patterns located on the third region061are provided with a third gap (not shown) therebetween, two adjacent shielding patterns located on the fourth region062are provided with a fourth gap (not shown) therebetween, the fourth gap has a width greater than a width of the third gap. When manufacturing the capacitive touch screen, the region formed by the third region061and the fourth region062is corresponding to the capacitive touch screen. Specifically, the third region061is corresponding to the first region011of the capacitive touch screen, the fourth region062is corresponding to the second region012. The shielding layer03is employed for manufacturing the touch electrode layer02, the shielding patterns are corresponding to above described touch patterns, and the first gap and the second gap can be controlled according to the third gap and the fourth gap.

The mask device provided by above described embodiment is employed to produce above described touch capacitive screen, causing the gap on the first region to be different from the gap on the second region, thereby eliminating a touch sensitivity difference between the first region and the second region whereby the difference is caused by the decorative layer, and it is convenient for etching the electrode, and little process and cost are required, it is suitable for manufacturing the capacitive touch screen.