Patent ID: 12260057

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In order to enable a person skilled in the art to have better understanding of the technical solutions of the present disclosure, a detailed description will hereinafter be given to the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

Unless otherwise defined, all the technical terms or scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by a person skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. The terms “first,” “second” and the like, which are used in the present disclosure, are not intended to indicate any sequence, amount or importance, but distinguish one element from another. Also, the terms “one” “an/a”, “the” and the like, are not intended to limit the amount, but indicate the existence of at least one. The terms “comprises” “comprising” “includes” “including” and the like, are intended to specify that the elements or the objects stated before these terms encompass the elements or the objects and equivalents thereof listed after these terms, but do not preclude the other elements or objects. The terms “connect”, “connected” and the like, are not intended to define a physical connection or mechanical connection, but may include an electrical connection, directly or indirectly. The terms “upper”, “down”, “left”, “right” and like, are only used to indicate the relative positional relationship, and when the absolute position of the object to be described is changed, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly. In addition, “same layer” mentioned in various embodiments of the present application may refer to a same layer structure formed by a film layer; or, for example, the same layer structure may be a layer structure which is formed by one patterning process via a same mask after forming a film layer for forming specific patterns by a same film forming process. According to different specific patterns, one patterning process may include a plurality of exposure, development or etching processes, and the specific patterns in formed layer structures may be continuous or discontinuous. These specific patterns may be at different heights or have different thicknesses.

Due to their advantages such as small thicknesses, thin bezels and better optical display effects, touch display panels adopting self-capacitive flexible multi-layer-on-cell (FMLOC) structures are gradually becoming the mainstream of AMOLED screens for mobile phones on the market. However, a particular self-capacitive FMLOC structure at least includes a first touch metal layer and a second touch metal layer, which are situated in different film layers, for example, the second touch metal layer is closer to a surface of a touch display panel than the first touch metal layer, which will result in a difference in reflectance of the touch display panel viewed from the outside when the self-capacitive FMLOC structure is integrated with a display substrate (e.g., organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display substrate). Besides, in order to form a plurality of touch blocks (that is, a plurality of touch units) of a touch substrate, which are independent from one another, it is necessary to cut off metal wires of the second touch metal layer at positions corresponding to spaces between the touch blocks to be formed, and the cut-off metal wires in the second touch metal layer proximal to a surface of the touch substrate will cause more apparent visible mura (i.e., unevenness).

In order to solve this problem, the present disclosure provides a touch substrate, which includes a base substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other; a first metal mesh layer disposed on the first surface of the base substrate and including a plurality of first metal mesh strips arranged successively along a first direction and being independent from one another, each first metal mesh strip extending a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and including a plurality of first metal mesh lines, the plurality of first metal mesh lines arranged in a mesh shape and including a plurality of trunk portions extending along the second direction and a plurality of branch portions respectively connected to the plurality of trunk portions and extending from the plurality of trunk portions along a direction at a predetermined angle to the second direction, and the plurality of first metal mesh lines of the first metal mesh strip being provided with at least one opening along the second direction such that the first metal mesh strip at least includes at least one opening along the second direction; and a second metal mesh layer disposed on the second surface of the base substrate and including a plurality of metal connection structures, each of which includes a first end, a second end and a metal connection line between the first end and the second end, wherein an orthographic projection of the metal connection line between the first end and the second end of each of the plurality of metal connection structures on the base substrate at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of at least one opening of the plurality of trunk portions in the plurality of first metal mesh lines of a corresponding first metal mesh strip among the plurality of first metal mesh strips on the base substrate, and each of the first end and the second end of the metal connection structure is electrically connected to corresponding metal mesh lines of the first metal mesh strip through a via disposed in the base substrate so as to connect these first metal mesh lines at two ends of the at least one opening in the plurality of first metal mesh lines. In other words, in the present disclosure, the metal connection structure disposed on the second surface of the base substrate connects disconnected trunk portions extending along the second direction in the corresponding first metal mesh strip on the first surface such that the first metal mesh lines extending along the second direction in the first metal mesh strip are connected to one another.

Further, at least one of two ends of the at least one opening in the plurality of first metal mesh lines includes two adjacent branch portions disconnected from each other, and one of the first end and the second end of the metal connection structure connects the two adjacent branch portions disconnected from each other through a via disposed in the base substrate. In other words, in the present disclosure, the metal connection structure disposed on the second surface of the base substrate connects disconnected branch portions extending along the direction at the predetermined angle to the second direction in the corresponding first metal mesh strip on the first surface such that the first metal mesh lines in the entire first metal mesh strip are all connected to one another, which can increase the number of metal gird lines used to form the touch blocks as well as resistor-capacitor (RC) load and hence improve touch sensitivity.

In the touch substrate of the present disclosure, a metal mesh forming the touch blocks include the first metal mesh layer and the second metal mesh layer on the first surface and the second surface of the base substrate, respectively, and first wiring of the first metal mesh layer and second wiring of the second metal mesh layer are combined to form the metal mesh whose mesh lines are connected to one another, thereby making it easy to divide the metal mesh according to actual needs to form the plurality of touch blocks as needed.

Specifically, in one embodiment, as shown inFIGS.1A to5, the touch substrate of the present disclosure includes: a base substrate1; and a first metal mesh layer TM2and a second metal mesh layer TM1disposed on a first surface200and a second surface300of the base substrate1, respectively. As shown inFIGS.1A and1B, the first metal mesh layer TM2formed on the first surface200includes a plurality of metal mesh lines13denoted by thinner lines and a plurality of additional metal lines110, wherein some of the plurality of metal mesh lines13are connected to one another such that the plurality of metal mesh lines as a whole are arranged in a mesh shape; the plurality of additional metal lines110extend along a first direction X, are electrically connected to the plurality of metal mesh lines13, and form parts of touch units for detecting touch together with the plurality of metal mesh lines13. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the first metal mesh layer TM2may only include the plurality of metal mesh lines13, rather than the plurality of additional metal lines110, which depends on the arrangement of a sub-pixel array in a corresponding display substrate. The second metal mesh layer formed on the second surface300includes a plurality of second metal strips12denoted by thicker lines and a plurality of metal connection structures600; the plurality of second metal strips12extend along a second direction Y orthogonal to the first direction X and may be arranged successively along the first direction X, for example, they may be evenly arranged at substantially equal intervals; and each metal connection structure includes a first end60, a second end90and a metal connection line80there-between. As shown inFIGS.1A and1B, the metal connection structures600are disposed on the second metal mesh layer TM1, and the metal connection lines80thereof may extend along the second direction Y.

As shown inFIG.1A, the thinner lines and the thicker lines denote the first metal mesh layer TM2and the second metal mesh layer TM1formed on different surfaces of the base substrate, respectively. In other words, in the present disclosure, the first metal mesh layer TM2and the second metal mesh layer TM1are arranged in different layers. The thinner lines and the thicker lines shown inFIG.1Aare merely used to distinguish between the first metal mesh layer TM2and the second metal mesh layer TM1, but do not represent actual widths of respective metal lines in the two layers. For example, the widths of the metal lines in the first metal mesh layer TM2and the second metal mesh layer TM1may range from 2 μm to 10 μm, for example, from 3 μm to 5 μm.

FIG.2shows a cross-sectional view of the touch substrate ofFIG.1Ataken along a line AA′. InFIG.2, the additional metal line110is schematically drawn as a thicker line in order to clearly show the cross section of the wiring of touch mesh lines taken along the line AA′. As shown inFIG.2, the metal mesh line13and the additional metal line110in contact with each other are formed on the first surface200of the base substrate1, that is, the additional metal line110is a part of the metal mesh line on the first surface200; and the second metal strips12and the metal connection line80between the first end60and the second end90of the metal connection structure600are formed on the second surface300of the base substrate1. As shown inFIG.2, on the first surface200, the metal mesh line13of the first metal mesh layer TM2is not disposed at an edge of the additional metal line110proximal to one of the second metal strips12, and the second metal strip12is disposed on the second surface300; an orthographic projection of the additional metal line110on the base substrate1adjoins an orthographic projection of the second metal strip12on the base substrate1; therefore, as can be seen from a composite view of respective orthographic projections of the first metal mesh layer TM2and the second metal mesh layer TM1on the base substrate1shown inFIGS.1A and1B, the additional metal line110adjoins the second metal strip12along the line AA. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the orthographic projection, on the base substrate1, of the additional metal line110on the first surface200may not adjoin the orthographic projection, on the base substrate1, of the second metal strip12on the second surface300; instead, they may be spaced apart from each other. In the present disclosure, in a composite view of respective orthographic projections of the first metal mesh layer TM2and the second metal mesh layer TM1on the base substrate1shown inFIGS.1A and1B, the metal mesh line13defined between two second metal strips12may be deemed as “a first metal mesh strip disposed on the first surface200of the base substrate1”. Therefore, a plurality of first metal mesh strips are disposed on the entire first surface200of the base substrate1, they are independent from one another, and a gap between respective orthographic projections, on the base substrate1, of every two adjacent first metal mesh strips is filled by the orthographic projection, on the base substrate1, of the second metal strip12on the second surface300and at a position corresponding to the gap. In addition, as shown inFIG.2, on the first surface200, no metal mesh line13is disposed at a position corresponding to the metal connection line80of the metal connection structure600, that is, the metal mesh lines13are disconnected from each other at the position corresponding to the metal connection line80on the first surface300.

Specifically, Sub-figure a ofFIG.1Bshows a schematic view of the wiring of a first metal mesh strip inFIG.1A. A plurality of metal mesh lines13of the first metal mesh strip on the first surface200may include a plurality of trunk portions130and a plurality of branch portions131; the plurality of trunk portions130extend along the second direction, and the plurality of branch portions131include a plurality of branch portions131extending from the plurality of trunk portions130at a predetermined angle to the second direction; the plurality of metal mesh lines13of the first metal mesh strip is provided with at least one opening unit6000along the second direction such that the first metal mesh strip includes at least one longitudinal opening along the second direction, and the first metal mesh strip thus formed is broken along the second direction, as shown in one opening unit6000denoted by a dotted line G in Sub-figure a ofFIG.1B. Sub-figure b ofFIG.1Bshows a schematic view of the wiring on the second surface300inFIGS.1A and1B, and the portion shown in Sub-figure b corresponds to the first metal mesh strip shown in Sub-figure a; this portion includes two second metal mesh strips12and metal connection structures600there-between; each metal connection structure600includes a first end60, a second end90and a metal connection line80there-between; the metal connection structure600further includes a first end connection line601connecting the first end60to one second metal strip12adjacent thereto and a second end connection line901connecting the second end90to the other second metal strip12adjacent thereto; in addition, each second metal strip12is provided with at least one opening500, as shown in an area enclosed by a dotted line H in Sub-figure b ofFIG.1B; therefore, each second metal strip12includes at least one opening, that is, each second metal strip12includes a plurality of metal line sections extending along the second direction Y; and every two metal line sections adjacent to each another along the first direction X are connected together by the metal connection structure600so as to form the metal mesh on the second surface300. Sub-figure c ofFIG.1Bshows a composite view of respective orthographic projections, on the base substrate1, of the wiring on the first surface200and the wiring on the second surface300. In addition, as shown in Sub-figure a ofFIG.1B, the plurality of branch portions131in the plurality of metal mesh lines of the first metal mesh strip further include at least one disconnected branch portion, and the disconnected branch portion is spaced apart, that is, independent, from the other branch portions of the plurality of branch portions. For example, as shown in Sub-figure a ofFIG.1B, an end1301and an end1302is disconnected from each other, which indicates that two adjacent branch portions131corresponding thereto are disconnected from each other. Similarly, for example, as shown in Sub-figure a ofFIG.1B, an end1303and an end1304are disconnected from each other, which indicates1othat two adjacent branch portions131corresponding thereto are disconnected from each other. As can be seen from Sub-figure a ofFIG.1B, in each first metal mesh strip formed on the first surface200, not all metal mesh lines are connected, and there is at least one opening in at least one trunk portion130extending along the second direction Y.

FIG.3shows a cross-sectional view of the touch substrate at a position B inFIG.1Ataken along a line BB′. As can be seen fromFIG.3, the metal mesh lines13are formed on the first surface200of the base substrate1, and the metal mesh lines13on the first surface200are disconnected from each other at the position B; the metal connection structure600is formed on the second surface300of the base substrate1, the second end90thereof connects the metal mesh lines13on the first surface200, which are disconnected from each other at the position B, through vias penetrating through the base substrate1and a metal material in the vias. As shown inFIG.3, the width of the second end90of the metal connection structure is 5 μm to 7 μm.

FIG.4shows a cross-sectional view of the touch substrate at a position C inFIG.1Ataken along a line CC′. As can be seen fromFIG.4, the metal mesh line13and the additional metal line110are formed on the first surface200of the base substrate1; the second metal strips12are formed on the second surface300of the base substrate1.FIG.4differs fromFIG.2merely in that a portion of the metal connection line80at the position C is removed to form an opening50shown inFIG.1A, and accordingly, the metal connection line80is broken at the position C shown inFIG.4.

As described above, both the first end60and the second end90of the metal connection structure600in the second metal mesh layer TM1may be connected to the metal mesh lines13in the first metal mesh layer TM2through the vias penetrating through the base substrate1, whereby the metal mesh lines13in the first metal mesh strip disconnected at the first end60and the second end90may be electrically connected to one another; therefore, the metal connection structure600formed on the second surface300is used to connect the metal mesh lines13in the first metal mesh strip on the first surface200together, so as to form mesh-shaped metal lines on the two surfaces of the base substrate1as parts of the touch units.

As can be seen fromFIGS.1A and1B, on the second surface300of the base substrate1, the metal connection line80of each metal connection structure600is configured to extend along the second direction Y and be situated between two adjacent second metal strips12. Each metal connection structure600on the second surface300further includes the first end connection line601electrically connected to the first end60and the second end connection line901electrically connected to the second end90, the first end connection line601is connected to a second metal strip12adjacent thereto at a first connection point a1, and the second end connection line901is connected to a second metal strip12adjacent thereto at a second connection point a2. The plurality of second metal strips12on the second surface300may be connected to one another along the first direction X through the first end connection lines601and the second end connection lines901, that is, the first end connection lines601and the second end connection lines901, which are connection lines along the first direction X, connect the plurality of second metal strips12substantially extending along the second direction Y, thereby forming the second metal mesh layer TM1on the second surface300. In other words, on the second surface300, the second metal mesh layer TM1not only includes the plurality of second metal strips12substantially extending along the second direction Y and the plurality of metal connection structures600substantially extending along the second direction Y, but also includes the first end connection line601and the second end connection line901substantially extending along the first direction X for each metal connection structure600.

Further,FIG.5shows a cross-sectional view of the touch substrate at a position D inFIG.1A. As can be seen fromFIG.5, at the position D, the metal mesh lines13are formed on the first surface200of the base substrate1; at the second end90, disconnected metal mesh lines13on the first surface200are connected to each other through the metal material in a via disposed in the base substrate1; at the first end60, disconnected metal mesh lines13on the first surface200are also connected to each other through the metal material in another via disposed in the base substrate1; as shown inFIGS.1A and5, on the first surface200, the metal mesh lines13between two first metal mesh strips are disconnected from each other, and an orthographic projection of a position at which the metal mesh lines13are disconnected from each other on the base substrate1overlaps with an orthographic projection of one second metal strip12on the base substrate1; and the first end connection line601connected to the first end60on the second surface300is connected to this second metal strip12, and the second connection line901connected to the second end90is connected to another second metal strip12.

As shown inFIGS.1A and5, on the second surface300, each second metal strip12substantially extending along the second direction Y is provided with a gap500. The second metal strip12is broken at the gap500.

As shown inFIGS.1A and1B, the metal mesh lines for realizing the touch units on the touch substrate of the present disclosure are constituted by the first metal layer TM2and the second metal layer TM1disposed on the first surface200and the second surface300of the base substrate1, respectively. The metal mesh lines included in the two layers are electrically connected to one another through the vias in the base substrate1, thereby forming the touch units capable of realizing the self-capacitive touch display panel. In the foregoing description regardingFIG.5, the plurality of second meal strips12formed on the second surface300substantially extend along the second direction Y; each second metal strip12is provided with a plurality of gaps500which divide the second metal strip12into a plurality of metal sections; and these metal sections are connected to one another through the metal connection structures600, the first end connection lines601and the second end connection lines901disposed on the second surface300, and are then electrically connected to the first metal mesh strips formed on the first surface200through the first ends60and the second ends90, such that respective orthographic projections of the second metal strips and the first metal strips on the base substrate1are combined to constitute a metal mesh structure to form the plurality of touch units of the present disclosure.

In addition,FIGS.1A and1Bfurther show a plurality of openings50. As can be seen fromFIG.1A, not all metal connection lines80of the metal connection structures600include the opening50. In the present disclosure, the openings50are only provided for dividing the entire metal mesh structure formed on the first surface200and the second surface300as described above so as to form a plurality of touch blocks, and accordingly, the metal connection lines80of the metal connection structures600are cut off by the openings50only at specific positions needed to divide the metal lines of the metal mesh structure to form the plurality of touch blocks. In other words, in the present disclosure, the metal lines of the entire metal mesh structure can be divided to form the plurality of touch blocks simply by cutting off the metal connection lines80of the metal connection structures600in the region of the touch substrate to be divided. With the arrangement of the openings50, the gaps500disposed in the second metal strips12as well as the first metal mesh layer TM2and the second metal mesh layer TM1respectively disposed on the first surface200and the second surface300, the mesh-shaped metal lines as a whole can be divided into a plurality of touch blocks. Therefore, the present disclosure can easily realize the division of the touch blocks. In addition, positions to divide the touch blocks are disposed on the second surface300, that is, in the touch substrate, the openings50at a boundary between every two adjacent touch blocks are on the second metal mesh layer TM1, the gaps500in each second metal strip12are also on the second metal mesh layer TM1, and the base substrate1(e.g., film layers such as SiNx) is disposed between the first metal mesh layer TM2and the second metal mesh layer TM1; therefore, after external light is refracted by a plurality of film layers, the reflectance of the metal in the second metal mesh layer TM1is weakened, which can eliminate the visible mura caused by the gaps at the boundary.

As shown inFIG.1A, in one embodiment, respective orthographic projections of two adjacent second metal strips12among the plurality of second metal strips12on the substrate base1overlap with an outer contour of an orthographic projection of a corresponding first metal mesh strip among the plurality of first metal mesh strips on the base substrate1, that is, the respective orthographic projections of the two adjacent second metal strips12on the base substrate1may be deemed as the outer contour or borders enclosing the orthographic projection of the corresponding first metal mesh strip on the base substrate1.

In addition, it is to be noted that except for the first end connection line601and the second end connection line901(respectively corresponding to metal mesh lines6011and9011formed on the first surface200, as shown in the area enclosed by the dotted line G inFIG.1B), respective orthographic projections, on the base substrate1, of the metal lines included in the second metal mesh layer TM1formed on the second surface300do not overlap with respective orthographic projections, on the base substrate1, of the metal lines included in the first metal mesh layer TM2formed on the first surface200. In other words, in order to form the plurality of independent touch blocks as needed to realize self-capacitive touch detection, respective orthographic projections, on the base substrate1, of the metal lines disposed on the two opposite surface of the base substrate1may be deemed as being complementary to one another, whereby these metal lines are combined to form the metal mesh lines of the touch blocks.

Specifically, as shown inFIG.1A, an aggregation of the orthographic projections of the plurality of first metal mesh strips and the plurality of second metal strips12on the base substrate1may include a plurality of first metal mesh sub-strips11, a plurality of second metal mesh sub-strips22and a plurality of third metal mesh sub-strips33to constitute a plurality of repeating units100, each repeating units100includes a first metal mesh sub-strip11, a second metal mesh sub-strip22and a third metal mesh sub-strip33arranged successively along the first direction X, and the plurality of repeating units100are arranged successively along the first direction X; each repeating unit100includes a plurality of repeating sub-units10arranged along the second direction Y, each repeating sub-unit10includes a structure of four rows and three columns constituted by four first blocks, four second blocks and four third blocks, a first row includes a first block, a second block and a third block arranged successively along the first direction X, each of second and four rows includes a second block, a third block and a first block arranged successively along the first direction X, and a third row includes a third block, a first block and a second block arranged successively along the first direction X; as shown inFIG.1A, the first block includes a first sub-block20and a second sub-block30arranged along the first direction X and being in contact with each other, the second block includes a third sub-block40and a first sub-block20arranged along the first direction X and being in contact with each other, and the third block includes a second sub-block30and a third sub-block40arranged along the first direction X and being in contact with each other; and an orthographic projection, on the base substrate1, of a position at which the first sub-block20and the second sub-block30contact with each other in the first block in each of the first to third row overlaps with an orthographic projection, on the base substrate1, of a corresponding metal connection structure among the plurality of metal connection structures. As can be seen fromFIG.1A, respective orthographic projections of the plurality of metal connection structures600on the base substrate1fall within respective structures in the first to third rows, but no orthographic projection thereof falls within the structure in the fourth row.

In one embodiment, as shown inFIG.1A, each of the first sub-block20, the second sub-block30and the third sub-block40is a hexagon extending along the second direction Y; a length of the first sub-block20along the second direction Y is greater than a length of each of the second sub-block30and the third sub-block40; and the first block and the second block belonging to two adjacent rows respectively are offset by one sub-block along the first direction X, the second block and the third block belonging to two adjacent rows respectively are offset by one sub-block along the first direction X, and the first block and the third block belonging to two adjacent rows respectively are offset by one sub-block along the first direction X.

As shown inFIG.1A, the plurality of second metal strips12on the second surface300, which substantially extend along the second direction Y, divide the second surface300into a plurality of regions; the plurality of metal connection structures600are disposed between every two adjacent second metal strips12. In the embodiment shown inFIG.1A, each repeating sub-unit10includes three metal connection structures600, for example, a first metal connection structure600-1, a second metal connection structure600-2and a third metal connection structure600-3, as shown inFIG.1A. The first end connection line601and the second end connection line901respectively connected to the first end60and the second end90of the first metal connection structure600-1are connected to a first connection point a1and a second connection point a2on two second metal strips12adjacent to the first metal connection structure600-1, respectively; the first end connection line601and the second end connection line901respectively connected to the first end60and the second end90of the second metal connection structure600-2are connected to a first connection point b1and a second connection point b2on two second metal strips12adjacent to the second metal connection structure600-2, respectively; and the first end connection line601and the second end connection line901respectively connected to the first end60and the second end90of the second metal connection structure600-3are connected to a first connection point c1and a second connection point c2on two second metal strips12adjacent to the second metal connection structure600-3, respectively. Based on this, each second metal strip12includes a plurality of first connection points and a plurality of second connection points to which the first end connection lines601and the second end connection lines901are connected, respectively. Taking a second metal strip122inFIG.1Afor example, it substantially extends along the second direction Y; the first metal connection structure600-1is connected to the second metal strip122through the first end connection line601, and they are connected at the first connection point a1; the second metal connection structure600-2is connected to the second metal strip122through the second end connection line901, and they are connected at the second connection point b2; in this way, across the repeating sub-units10adjacent to one another along the second direction Y, the second metal strip122is provided with the first connection points a1and the second connection points b2in turn. In other words, each second metal strip12includes the first connection points and the second connection points arranged alternately. The above-described gap500is disposed between every first connection point and second connection point adjacent to each other; for example, for each metal connection structure600, a first gap is disposed at a side of the first connection point, and a second gap is disposed at a side of the second connection point, and based on this, the plurality of independent touch blocks are formed.

Further, as can be seen fromFIG.1A, the entire touch substrate includes a plurality of repeating sub-units10; each repeating sub-unit10includes a structure of four rows and three columns, in which the metal connection structures600are disposed in the first three rows and situated in a layer different from the metal mesh lines13; the metal mesh lines13are not disposed at positions corresponding to the metal connection structures600on the first surface200; as shown inFIG.2, the first end60and the second end9X) of the metal connection structure600on the second surface300connect the metal mesh lines13disconnected at the corresponding position through the vias in the base substrate1.

The touch substrate of the present disclosure includes a plurality of touch units (also known as “touch blocks”), and each touch unit includes a plurality of repeating sub-units10arranged in a plurality of rows and columns. In order to form the touch blocks to be controlled independently, the openings50are formed to cut off the metal connection lines of the metal connection structures corresponding to each of the plurality of repeating sub-units10between every two adjacent touch blocks.

As shown in the lower part ofFIG.1A, in the embodiment, in order to form two touch blocks independent from each other, it is necessary to cut off connection lines between the two touch blocks. In the touch substrate of the present disclosure, simply by cutting off the metal connection lines80of the metal connection structures600in one repeating sub-unit10(that is, by forming the openings50in the metal connection lines80), electrical connection between repeating sub-units10adjacent thereto in the first metal mesh sub-strip11, the second metal mesh sub-strip22and the third metal mesh sub-strip33extending along the second direction Y can be cut off. In other words, in the present disclosure, the metal connection lines of the metal connection structures in the repeating sub-units10to be cut off may be determined according to the desired sizes of the touch blocks. As shown inFIGS.1A to8, in the touch substrate of the present disclosure, since the metal connection structures are on the second surface300of the base substrate1, the obtained gaps at the boundary between every two touch blocks insulated from each other are also on the second metal mesh layer TM1. Since the gaps at the boundary between the two touch blocks in the touch substrate are on the second metal mesh layer TM1and the base substrate1(e.g., film layers such as SiNx) is disposed between the first metal mesh layer TM2and the second metal mesh layer TM1, after external light is refracted by a plurality of film layers, the reflectance of the metal in the second metal mesh layer TM1is weakened, which can eliminate the visible mura caused by the gaps at the boundary.

In contrast to the embodiment shown inFIGS.1A to5, in one embodiment shown inFIGS.6to9, the touch substrate further includes a redundant metal line70disposed at a position corresponding to the metal connection line80of the at least one metal connection structure600on the first surface200, made of the same metal material and arranged in the same layer as the first metal mesh strip. In other words, the redundant metal line70may be deemed as a portion of the first metal mesh layer, and is disposed on the first surface200and in a floating state, that is, the redundancy metal line70is not electrically connected to the first metal mesh layer TM2and the second metal mesh layer TM1. As shown inFIGS.6to8, like the metal connection structure600, the redundant metal line70extends along the second direction YFIGS.7to9show cross-sectional views of the touch substrate according to the embodiment shown inFIG.6taken along lines aa′, bb′ and cc′, respectively.

Like the embodiment shown inFIG.1A, as shown in the lower part ofFIG.6, in the embodiment, in order to form two touch blocks independent from each other, it is necessary to cut off connection lines between the two touch blocks. In the touch substrate of the present disclosure, simply by cutting off the metal connection lines80in the metal connection structures600in one repeating sub-unit10, electrical connection between repeating sub-units10adjacent thereto in the first metal mesh sub-strip11, the second metal mesh sub-strip22and the third metal mesh sub-strip33extending along the second direction Y can be cut off. In other words, in the present disclosure, the metal connection lines of the metal connection structures in the repeating sub-units10to be cut off may be determined according to the desired sizes of the touch blocks. As shown inFIGS.1A to9, in the touch substrate of the present disclosure, since the metal connection structures are on the second surface300of the base substrate1, the obtained gaps at the boundary between every two touch blocks insulated from each other are also on the second metal mesh layer TM1. In the embodiment shown inFIGS.5to8, since the touch substrate further includes the redundant metal lines70disposed on the first surface200above the openings and at positions corresponding to the openings, after external light is refracted by a plurality of film layers, the reflectance of the metal in the first metal mesh layer TM2is highest while the reflectance of the metal in the second metal mesh layer TM1is relatively low, which can eliminate the visible mura caused by the gaps at the boundary.

FIGS.11A and11Bshow schematic views of the touch substrate being divided into a plurality of touch blocks according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

As shown inFIG.11A, each repeating unit100extending along the second direction Y are divided into a plurality of touch blocks by the openings50disposed in the metal connection lines80of the metal connection structures600formed on the second surface300. As can be seen fromFIG.11A, the metal mesh lines on the first surface200and the second surface300are combined to form the metal mesh lines included in each touch block T11. Two adjacent touch blocks T11along the second direction Y in each repeating unit are disconnected at the openings50. Two adjacent repeating units100along the first direction X are disconnected at a corresponding metal strip12disposed on the second surface300. For the detailed division of the touch substrate, reference may be made toFIG.11B. InFIG.11B, each touch block T11is formed by combining the metal mesh lines on the first surface200and the second surface300. The metal mesh lines included in each touch block T11shown inFIG.11Bare an aggregation of the mesh lines involved in the touch operation, and these mesh lines are disposed on the first surface200and the second surface300, respectively. Referring toFIGS.1A to9, some touch mesh lines shown inFIG.11Aappear to be connected, but are actually disconnected.FIG.11Bonly shows respective orthographic projections of the plurality of mesh lines included in each touch block T11on the base substrate1. In addition.FIG.11Bshows a plurality of rings, for example, T100and T200, and these rings indicate the positions of the gaps500cutting off the second metal mesh strips12along the second direction Y on the second surface300. It can be seen that the metal mesh lines are disconnected at these positions.

FIGS.11A and11Bonly show one method of dividing the touch substrate according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. As described above, the arrangement of the metal mesh lines on the first surface and the second surface of the touch substrate may be determined according to the arrangement of sub-pixels in the display panel to be combined with the touch substrate, and the main reason is that the orthographic projections of the metal mesh lines on the base substrate do not overlap with those of light-emitting regions of the sub-pixels on the base substrate in order to ensure the light-emitting quality of the display panel.

The present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the openings50in the metal connection lines80may be disposed in light of the touch accuracy, for example, the opening50may be disposed in the metal connection line80of each metal connection structure600in the second surface300, and the area of each touch block thus formed will be smaller than that shown inFIGS.11A and11B. Similarly, the area of each touch block may be enlarged by disposing fewer openings50.

Alternatively, the area of each touch block may be enlarged by controlling the area covered by the repeating unit100along the first direction X to enlarge the width of the touch block along the first direction X, the detailed description of which is omitted herein.

Based on the touch substrate as described above, the present disclosure further provides a touch display panel including a display substrate and the touch substrate as described above, which are aligned with each other, wherein the display substrate includes a plurality of pixel units, each of which includes a plurality of sub-pixels. In one embodiment, the plurality of pixel units are arranged in an array, respective orthographic projections of the plurality of pixel units on the base substrate1overlap with those of the plurality of repeating sub-units on the base substrate1.

First sub-pixels are red sub-pixels, second sub-pixels are green sub-pixels, and third sub-pixels are blue sub-pixels. Each of the plurality of sub-pixels includes an organic light-emitting diode.

In the present disclosure, to save masks, the mesh-shaped metal lines in the touch substrate may be prepared using a mask for preparing the plurality of sub-pixels of the pixel units in the display substrate, and therefore, the mesh-shaped metal lines thus formed may correspond to the plurality of sub-pixels in the display substrate, respectively, such that after the display substrate is alighted with the touch substrate, each first sub-block20may correspond to a red sub-pixel, each second sub-block30may correspond to a green sub-pixel, and each third sub-block30may correspond to a blue sub-pixel. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The mesh-shaped metal lines may be of other structures, provided that in the plurality of metal mesh sub-strips extending along the second direction Y in each repeating sub-unit, there are metal lines that need to be connected by the metal connection structures disposed on the second metal mesh layer TM1, and when the metal lines need to be disconnected to form independent touch blocks, the metal connection lines of the metal connection structures at specific positions on the second metal mesh layer TM1may be cut off, such that the metal mesh sub-strips extending along the second direction Y are disconnected from the metal mesh sub-strips adjacent thereto at the specific positions.

In this embodiment, in order to disconnect two touch blocks in the touch display panel such that they are independent from each other, it is necessary to cut off connection lines between them. In the touch display panel of the present disclosure, simply by cutting off the metal connection lines80of the metal connection structures600in one repeating sub-unit10, electrical connection between repeating sub-units10adjacent thereto in the first metal mesh sub-strip11, the second metal mesh sub-strip22and the third metal mesh sub-strip33extending along the second direction Y can be cut off. In other words, in the present disclosure, the metal connection lines of the metal connection structures in the repeating sub-units10to be cut off may be determined according to the desired sizes of the touch blocks. As shown inFIGS.1A to8, in the touch substrate of the present disclosure, since the metal connection structures are on the second surface300of the base substrate1, the obtained gaps at the boundary between every two touch blocks insulated from each other are also on the second metal mesh layer TM1. In the touch display panel including the touch substrate shown inFIGS.1A to4, the gaps at the boundary between the two touch blocks are on the second metal mesh layer TM1, and the base substrate1(e.g., film layers such as SiNx) is disposed between the first metal mesh layer TM2and the second metal mesh layer TM1; therefore, after external light is refracted by a plurality of film layers, the reflectance of the metal in the second metal mesh layer TM1is weakened, which can eliminate the visible mura caused by the gaps at the boundary. In the embodiment of the touch display panel including the touch substrate shown inFIGS.5to8, since the touch substrate further includes the redundant metal lines70disposed on the first surface200above the openings and at positions corresponding to the openings, after external light is refracted by a plurality of film layers, the reflectance of the metal in the first metal mesh layer TM2is highest while the reflectance of the metal in the second metal mesh layer TM1is relatively low, which can eliminate the visible mura caused by the gaps at the boundary.

As shown inFIG.1A, the touch substrate of the present disclosure may be deemed as including the plurality of first sub-blocks20, the plurality of second sub-blocks30and the plurality of third sub-blocks40. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Based on actual needs, the shapes and arrangement of the first sub-blocks, the second sub-blocks and the third sub-blocks may be configured according to the above-described concept of the present disclosure.FIGS.1A and1Bshow that the touch substrate includes a plurality of mesh cells defined by the metal lines, the actual shapes and sizes of these mesh cells are configured to match the arrangement of the sub-pixel units in the pixel units in the display substrate. For example, each pixel unit in a display substrate prepared by a conventional technique includes a red (R) sub-pixel, a green (G) sub-pixel and a blue (B) sub-pixel with colors different from one another, and the arrangement of the R, G and B sub-pixels in the pixel units includes, for example, delta arrangement (shown inFIG.10A) and mosaic arrangement (shown inFIG.10B). In the present disclosure, as shown inFIG.1A, the sub-blocks in the touch substrate may correspond to the sub-pixels in the delta arrangement (shown inFIG.10A), respectively, so as to prevent the mesh-shaped metal lines in the touch substrate from blocking the light-emitting regions of the sub-pixels and hence affecting the display effect of the display substrate. For a pixel structure of the display panel shown inFIGS.10A and10B, there is no need to dispose the additional metal lines110in the touch substrate shown inFIGS.1A and6, which would prevent the additional metal lines110from blocking the light-emitting regions of the sub-pixels and hence affecting the display effect of the display panel.

Therefore, the configuration of the mesh-shaped metal lines in the touch substrate of the present disclosure is not limited to the shape shown inFIG.1A. For example, as shown inFIG.10C, the mesh-shaped metal lines in the touch substrate may be arranged according to an array of sub-pixels arranged in strips in the display substrate shown inFIG.10B.

Similar toFIG.1A,FIG.10Cshows a schematic view of a structure of a touch substrate according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In contrast toFIG.1A, the wiring of the touch blocks in the touch substrate shown inFIG.10Ccorresponds to the arrangement of the sub-pixel array in the display substrate shown inFIG.10B, such that an orthographic projection of the wiring of the touch blocks on the base substrate substantially surrounds peripheries of the corresponding sub-pixels in the sub-pixel array, so as to prevent the wiring of the touch blocks from affecting the display of the sub-pixel array in the display substrate and hence affecting an aperture ratio of the display substrate. The touch substrate also includes the first metal mesh layer and the second metal mesh layer disposed on the first surface and the second surface of the base substrate, respectively. Similar to the metal mesh of the touch substrate shown inFIG.1A, the combination of respective orthographic projections of the first metal mesh layer and the second metal mesh layer on the base substrate also includes a plurality of repeating units100′ arranged successively along the first direction X; and each repeating unit100′ extends along the second direction Y and includes a plurality of repeating sub-units10′.

Similar to the wiring of the touch substrate shown inFIG.1A, the wiring on the second surface300of the base substrate of the touch substrate shown inFIG.10Calso includes a plurality of second metal strips12′, every two adjacent metal strips12′ are connected to each other by a plurality of metal connection structures, each of which includes a first end60′, a second90′ and a metal connection line80′ there-between. In addition, an opening500′ is also disposed between every two adjacent connection points on each second metal strip12′.

In contrast to the touch substrate shown inFIG.1A, based on the arrangement of the sub-pixel array in the display substrate shown inFIG.10B, the wiring disposed in the touch substrate as shown inFIG.10Cmay be formed by straight lines respectively extending along the first direction and the second direction, instead of the second metal strips12which are folded lines substantially extending along the second direction and the first metal mesh strips each consisting of the trunk portions which are straight lines extending along the second direction and the branch portions which are folded lines extending along the direction at the predetermined angle to the second direction as shown inFIG.1A. As described above, the arrangement of the wiring of the touch blocks in the touch substrate is substantially based on the arrangement of the corresponding sub-pixel array in the display substrate; however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, provided that the combination of the wiring on the first surface and the wiring on the second surface can realize the self-capacitive touch blocks.

In addition, as can be seen fromFIGS.1A and10C, instead of the structure of four rows and three columns shown inFIG.1A, each repeating sub-unit inFIG.10Cis a structure of three rows and three columns, which also depends on the arrangement of sub-pixel array of the display substrate.

The touch substrate including the additional metal lines110shown inFIGS.1A,1B and6is especially suitable for the display panel including GGRB pixel units, particularly, the display panel including the display substrate and the touch substrate schematically shown inFIG.10D. Each GGRB pixel unit of the display substrate includes two green sub-pixels101G and102G, a red sub-pixel101R and a blue sub-pixel101B. An orthographic projection of each additional metal line110of the touch substrate is between two green sub-pixels of a corresponding pixel unit, which can increase the coverage of the touch mesh lines without blocking the light-emitting regions of the sub-pixels in the display substrate and hence affecting the display quality of the display panel. In this case, each first sub-block20is divided into a first portion and a second portion; for example, the first portion and the second portion thus divided may be symmetrical with respect to the corresponding additional metal line110. An orthographic projection of the first portion on the base substrate1completely encompasses that of one green sub-pixel, that is,101G, on the base substrate1, an orthographic projection of the second portion on the base substrate1completely encompasses that of the other green sub-pixel, that is,102G, on the base substrate1, an orthographic projection of the second sub-block30on the base substrate1completely encompasses that of the red sub-pixel101R on the base substrate1, and an orthographic projection of the third sub-block40on the base substrate1completely encompasses that of the blue sub-pixel101B on the base substrate1.

As described above, the metal mesh forming the touch blocks of the self-capacitive touch substrate is jointly decided by respective wiring on the first surface and the second surface of the base substrate1, and the openings at the boundary between every two touch blocks are on the second metal mesh layer at a side of the touch substrate distal to a display surface; therefore, after external light is refracted by a plurality of film layers, the reflectance of the metal in the second metal mesh layer is weakened, which can eliminate the visible mura caused by the gaps at the boundary.

The present disclosure has been described hereinbefore, but is not limited thereto. Modifications of the embodiments described above may be made by a person skilled in the art in light of the concept behind the present disclosure without departing from the protection scope thereof.