Patent ID: 8279188

Claim:
A protective panel having touch panel function, the protective panel being used for protecting a front surface of a display device that is disposed so as to be visually recognized from outside, and the protective panel being fitted in a panel fitting part of a casing provided with an opening such that an outer surface of the protective panel forms a flat plane identical with that of the casing with no gap formed therebetween, the protective panel comprising: a flexible upper electrode sheet having an upper electrode provided on a lower surface thereof and a decorative layer provided to hide the upper electrode; and a lower electrode sheet having a lower electrode provided on an upper surface thereof, the upper electrode sheet and the lower electrode sheet being disposed such that the respective electrodes thereof face with each other, the protective panel comprising, on the lower surface of the upper electrode sheet, at a non-electrode part not provided with the upper electrode, a height difference adjustment part having a thickness substantially equal to that of the upper electrode, with a nonconductive part interposed between the height difference adjustment part and each of the upper electrode and the lower electrode so as to prevent short circuit therebetween.