Touching display panel and display device using the same

This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 100122641, filed Jun. 28, 2011, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

1. Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates in general to a display panel and a display device using the same, and more particularly to a touching display panel and a display device using the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

Accompanied with great advancement of the touch sensing technique, a user is able to carry out various operations by manipulating a touch panel. When a touch panel is equipped a display panel, a user may even carry out various operations by directly manipulating images presented on the display panel.

Both the touch panel and the display panel comprise a glass substrate. When the touch panel is equipped on the display panel, a total thickness accumulated by all the glass substrates is quite formidable.

Further, both the touch panel and the display panel need a control circuit board for operation control. When the touch panel is equipped on the display panel, an appropriate arrangement for the control circuit boards may be extremely complicated. Therefore, there is a need for a solution for ideally combining the touch panel and the display panel to overcome current technical drawbacks.

The disclosure is directed to a touching display panel, which structurally integrates a touch sensor layer, a thin-film transistor layer or a color filter layer to a substrate having a hard surface structure, so as to significantly decrease the number of substrates and thus reduce a thickness of the touching display panel to resultantly offer an integrated touching display panel that allows optimal circuit planning and design.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a touching display panel is provided. The touching display panel comprises a liquid crystal layer, a first substrate having a hard surface structure, a second substrate, a touch sensor layer, a thin-film transistor layer and a color filter layer. The first and second substrates are respectively disposed at two sides of the liquid crystal layer. The touch sensor layer is disposed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer, and is formed on the first substrate. The thin-film transistor layer and the color filter layer are disposed between the first and second substrates. At least one of the thin-film transistor layer and the color filter layer is formed on the first substrate.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a display device is provided. The display device comprises a touching display panel and a backlight module. The touching display panel comprises a liquid crystal layer, a first substrate having a hard surface structure, a second substrate, a touch sensor layer, a thin-film transistor layer and a color filter layer. The first and second substrates are respectively disposed at two sides of the liquid crystal layer. The touch sensor layer is disposed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer, and is formed on the first substrate. The thin-film transistor layer and the color filter layer are disposed between the first and second substrates. At least one of the thin-film transistor layer and the color filter layer is formed on the first substrate. The backlight module is for providing a backlight to the touching display panel.

The above and other aspects of the disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description of the preferred but non-limiting embodiments. The following description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a display device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a display device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a display device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a display device according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a display device according to a fifth embodiment.

Various embodiments shall be given below for describing a touching display panel of the present disclosure, which structurally integrates a touch sensor layer, a thin-film transistor layer or a color filter layer to a substrate with a hard surface structure, so as to significantly decrease the number of substrates and thus reduce a thickness of the touching display panel to resultantly offer an integrated touching display panel that allows optimal circuit planning and design. Further, glass substrates are taken as examples for the substrates according to the embodiments of the present disclosure rather than limiting the present disclosure thereto. It should also be noted that the present disclosure is to be described by way of example and in terms of the embodiments below, and it is also to be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. Further, to clearly emphasize on technical characteristics of the present disclosure, certain components may not be depicted in the diagrams.

First Embodiment

Referring to FIG. 1 showing a schematic diagram of a display device 10 according to a first embodiment, the display device 10 comprises a touching display panel 100 and a backlight module BL providing a light source to the touching display panel 100 . The touching display panel 100 comprises a liquid crystal layer LC 1 , a first glass substrate G 11 , a second glass substrate G 12 , a touch sensor layer TP 1 , a thin-film transistor layer TFT 1 and a color filter layer CF 1 . In this embodiment, the first glass substrate G 11 serves as an outmost-layer cover glass, which comes into contact with a user finger F and protects internal components of the display panel 100 from moisture, abrasions and impacts. The second glass substrate G 12 is a glass substrate disposed at a front side of the backlight module BL. The first glass G 11 comprises a hard surface structure G 11 a processed by chemically enhanced treatments or physically enhanced treatments. In the chemically enhanced treatments, the first glass substrate G 11 is reacted with a solution containing potassium (K) ions to form the hard surface structure G 11 a comprising potassium ions at a surface. Contributed by a larger volume of the potassium ions, a tight binding force is generated to increase a hardness of the glass. In the physically enhanced treatments, the first glasses substrate G 11 is grinded to remove defects at a surface thereof to further prevent probabilities of glass breakage. That is, the first glass substrate G 11 is not a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a thin-film transistor structure, a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a color filter structure, or a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a touch sensing structure. Therefore, the number of the glass substrates may be significantly decrease by 2 pieces to reduce a thickness of the display panel 100 .

In this embodiment, through integration, the thin-film transistor layer TFT 1 and the color filter layer CF 1 are respectively disposed at two sides of the liquid crystal layer LC 1 ; the touch sensor layer TP 1 and the color filter layer CF 1 are joined with the first glass substrate G 11 . Thus, conventional glass substrates used for respectively manufacturing a source sensor structure and a color filter structure are not required.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the first glass substrate G 11 and the second glass substrate G 12 are respectively disposed at the two sides of the liquid crystal layer LC 1 . From outside to inside, the first glass substrate G 11 , the touch sensor layer TP 1 , the color filter layer CF 1 , the liquid crystal layer LC 1 , the thin-film transistor layer TFT 1 and the second glass substrate G 12 are sequentially arranged. More specifically, the touch sensor layer TP 1 and the color filter layer CF 1 are both formed on the first glass substrate G 11 , the thin-film transistor layer TFT 1 is formed on the second glass substrate G 12 , and the touch sensor layer TP 1 is disposed between the first glass substrate G 11 and the color filter layer CF 1 . Further, other materials may be arranged between the layers as required.

For example, the touching display panel 100 further comprises a first polarization layer PF 11 and a second polarization layer PF 12 . The first polarization layer PF 11 and second polarization layer PF 12 may be joined with an internal structure of the touching display panel 100 through a polarizer-film-in-cell technique without any pasting process. For example, the first polarization layer PF 11 and the second polarization layer PF 12 are respectively disposed at the two sides of the liquid crystal layer LC 1 . The first polarization layer PF 11 may be disposed between the first glass substrate G 11 and the touch sensor layer TP 1 , or between the touch sensor layer TP 1 and the color filter layer CF 1 . The second polarization layer PF 12 may be disposed between the thin-film transistor layer TFT 1 and the second glass substrate G 12 , or at an outer side of the second glass substrate G 12 relative to the liquid crystal layer LC 1 . In the embodiment in FIG. 1 , the first polarization layer PF 11 is disposed between the first glass substrate G 11 and the touch sensor layer TP 1 , and the second polarization layer PF 12 is disposed between the thin-film transistor layer TFT 1 and the second glass substrate G 12 .

For example, the touching display panel 100 further comprises a first polarization layer PF 11 and a second polarization layer PF 12 . The first polarization layer PF 11 and second polarization layer PF 12 may be joined with an internal structure of the touching display panel 100 through a polarizer-film-in-cell technique without any pasting process. For example, the first polarization layer PF 11 and the second polarization layer PF 12 are respectively disposed at the two sides of the liquid crystal layer LC 1 . The first polarization layer PF 11 may be disposed between the first glass substrate G 11 and the touch sensor layer TP 1 , or between the touch sensor layer TP 1 and the color filter layer CF 1 . The second polarization layer PF 12 may be disposed between the thin-film transistor layer TFT 1 and the second glass substrate G 12 , or at an outer side of the second glass substrate G 12 relative to the liquid crystal layer LC 1 . In the embodiment in FIG. 1 , the first polarization layer PF 11 is disposed between the first glass substrate G 11 and the touch sensor layer TP 1 , and the second polarization layer PF 12 is disposed between the thin-film transistor layer TFT 1 and the second glass substrate G 12 .

Further, a black matrix of the color filter layer CF 1 may be integrated to spacing elements PS 1 through a black matrix sharing technique to further reduce a thickness of the color filter layer CF 1 .

Second Embodiment

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a display device 20 according to a second embodiment. A difference between a touching display panel 200 of the display device 20 in the second embodiment and the touching display panel 100 in the first embodiment is positions of a touch sensor layer TP 2 and a color filter layer CF 2 . More specifically, the color filter layer CF 2 of the touching display panel 200 is disposed between a first glass substrate G 21 and the touch sensor layer TP 2 . Details of other correspondingly components are as those previously described and shall not be further given.

In this embodiment, the thin-film transistor layer TFT 2 and the color filter layer CF 2 are respectively disposed at two sides of a liquid crystal layer LC 2 . The touch sensor layer TP 2 and the glass filter layer CF 2 are joined with a first glass substrate G 21 having a hard surface structure G 21 a through integration, such that a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a touch sensor layer structure and a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a color filter structure are not needed. Therefore, the number of the glass substrates may be significantly decrease by 2 pieces to reduce a thickness of the display panel 200 .

As shown in FIG. 2 , from outside to inside, the first glass substrate G 21 , the color filter layer CF 2 , the touch sensor layer TP 2 , the liquid crystal layer LC 2 , the thin-film transistor layer TFT 2 and the second glass substrate G 22 are sequentially arranged. Other materials may be arranged between the first glass substrate G 21 , the color filter layer CF 2 , the touch sensor layer TP 2 , the liquid crystal layer LC 2 , the thin-film transistor layer TFT 2 and the second glass substrate G 22 as required.

For example, a first polarization layer PF 21 and a second polarization layer PF 22 may be joined with an internal structure of the touching display panel 200 through a polarizer-film-in-cell technique without any pasting process. For example, the first polarization layer PF 21 and the second polarization layer PF 22 are respectively disposed at the two sides of the liquid crystal layer LC 2 . The first polarization layer PF 21 may be disposed between the first glass substrate G 21 and the color filter layer CF 2 , or between the color filter layer CF 2 and the touch sensor layer TP 2 . The second polarization layer PF 22 may be disposed between the thin-film transistor layer TFT 2 and the second glass substrate G 22 , or at an outer side of the second glass substrate G 22 relative to the liquid crystal layer LC 2 . In the embodiment in FIG. 2 , the first polarization layer PF 21 is disposed between the first glass substrate G 21 and the color filter CF 2 , and the second polarization layer PF 22 is disposed between the thin-film transistor layer TFT 2 and the second glass substrate G 22 .

Further, a black matrix of the color filter layer CF 2 may be integrated to spacing elements PS 2 through a black matrix sharing technique to further reduce a thickness of the color filter layer CF 2 .

Third Embodiment

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a display device 30 according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. A difference between a touching display panel 300 of the display device 30 in the third embodiment and the touching display panel 100 in the first embodiment is positions of a thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 and a color filter layer CF 3 . More specifically, the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 is formed on a first glass substrate G 31 , the color filter layer CF 3 is formed on a second glass substrate G 32 , and a touch sensor layer TP 3 is disposed between the first glass substrate G 31 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 . Details of other correspondingly components are as those previously described and shall not be further given.

Referring to FIG. 3 , in the display panel 300 according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, through integration, the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 and the color filter layer CF 3 are respectively disposed at two sides of a liquid crystal layer LC 3 ; the touch sensor layer TP 3 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 are both joined with a first glass substrate G 31 having a hard surface structure G 31 a , and the color filter layer CF 3 is joined with the second glass substrate G 32 . Therefore, a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a touch sensor layer structure and a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a thin-film transistor structure are not needed. Accordingly, the number of the glass substrates may be significantly decrease by 2 pieces to reduce a thickness of the display panel 300 .

Further, when the touch sensor layer TP 3 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 are integrated to a same side of the liquid crystal layer LC 3 , circuits of the touch sensor layer TP 3 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 are given with more optimal planning and integration, so that a circuit layout design may be completed through an external circuit board disposed at one side of the touching display panel 300 .

In this embodiment, the touching display panel 300 further comprises an insulation layer PL 3 . The insulation layer PL 3 is disposed between the touch sensor layer TP 3 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 , so as to prevent undesired parasitic capacitance between the touch sensor layer TP 3 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 that may undesirably affect image display effects or touch sensing effects.

Referring to FIG. 3 , from outside to inside, the first glass substrate G 31 , the touch sensor layer TP 3 , the insulation layer PL 3 , the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 , the liquid crystal layer LC 3 , the color filter layer CF 3 and the second glass substrate G 32 are sequentially arranged. Other materials may be arranged between the first glass substrate G 31 , the touch sensor layer TP 3 , the insulation layer PL 3 , the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 , the liquid crystal layer LC 3 , the color filter layer CF 3 and the second glass substrate G 32 as required.

For example, a first polarization layer PF 31 and a second polarization layer PF 32 may be joined with an internal structure of the touching display panel 300 through a polarizer-film-in-cell technique with any pasting process. For example, the first polarization layer PF 31 and the second polarization layer PF 32 are respectively disposed at the two sides of the liquid crystal layer LC 3 . The first polarization layer PF 31 may be disposed between the first glass substrate G 31 and the touch sensor layer TP 3 , or between the touch sensor layer TP 3 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 . That is, the first polarization layer PF 31 may be disposed between the touch sensor layer TP 3 and the insulation layer PL 3 , or between the insulation layer PL 3 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 3 . The second polarization layer PF 32 may be disposed between the color filter layer CF 3 and the second glass substrate G 32 , or at an outer side of the second glass substrate G 32 relative to the liquid crystal layer LC 3 . In the embodiment in FIG. 3 , the first polarization layer PF 31 is disposed between the first glass substrate G 31 and the touch sensor layer TP 3 , and the second polarization layer PF 32 is disposed between the color filter layer CF 3 and the second glass substrate G 32 .

Further, a black matrix of the color filter layer CF 3 may be integrated to spacing elements PS 3 through a black matrix sharing technique to further reduce a thickness of the color filter layer CF 3 .

Fourth Embodiment

FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a display device 40 according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. A difference between a touching display panel 400 of the display device 40 in the fourth embodiment and the touching display panel 100 in the first embodiment is a position of a thin-film transistor layer TFT 4 . More specifically, the thin-film transistor layer TFT 4 and the color filter layer CF 4 are both disposed between a first glass substrate G 41 and a liquid crystal layer LC 4 , and the color filter layer CF 4 is disposed between a touch sensor layer TP 4 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 4 . Details of other correspondingly components are as those previously described and shall not be further given.

Referring to FIG. 4 , in the display panel 400 according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, through integration, the thin-film transistor layer TFT 4 and the color filter layer CF 4 are disposed at a same side of a liquid crystal layer LC 4 ; the touch sensor layer TP 4 , the glass filter layer CF 4 and a thin-film transistor layer TFT 4 are all joined with a first glass substrate G 41 having a hard surface structure G 41 a . Therefore, a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a touch sensor layer structure, a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a color filter structure, and a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a thin-film transistor structure are not needed.

Further, when the touch sensor layer TP 4 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 4 are integrated to a same side of the liquid crystal layer LC 4 , circuits of the touch sensor layer TP 4 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 4 are given with more optimal planning and integration, so that a circuit layout design may be completed through an external circuit board disposed at one side of the touching display panel 400 .

Referring to FIG. 4 , from outside to inside, the first glass substrate G 41 , the touch sensor layer TP 4 , the color filter layer CF 4 , the thin-film transistor layer TFT 4 , the liquid crystal layer LC 4 and the second glass substrate G 42 are sequentially arranged. Other materials may be arranged between the first glass substrate G 41 , the touch sensor layer TP 4 , the color filter layer CF 4 , the thin-film transistor layer TFT 4 , the liquid crystal layer LC 4 and the second glass substrate G 42 arranged in sequence as required.

For example, a first polarization layer PF 41 and a second polarization layer PF 42 are joined with an internal structure of the touching display panel 400 through a polarizer-film-in-cell technique without any pasting process. For example, the first polarization layer PF 41 and the second polarization layer PF 42 are respectively disposed at the two sides of the liquid crystal layer LC 4 . The first polarization layer PF 41 may be disposed between the first glass substrate G 41 and the touch sensor layer TP 4 , between the touch sensor layer TP 4 and the color filter layer CF 4 , or between the color filter layer CF 4 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 4 . The second polarization layer PF 42 may be disposed at an outer side of the second glass substrate G 42 relative to the liquid crystal layer LC 4 . In the embodiment in FIG. 4 , the first polarization layer PF 41 is disposed between the first glass substrate G 41 and the touch sensor layer TP 4 , and the second polarization layer PF 42 is disposed at an outer side of the second glass substrate G 42 .

Further, a black matrix of the color filter layer CF 4 may be integrated to spacing elements PS 4 through a black matrix sharing technique to further reduce a thickness of the color filter layer CF 4 .

Fifth Embodiment

FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a display device 50 according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. A difference between a touching display panel 500 of the display device 50 in the fifth embodiment and the touching display panel 400 in the fourth embodiment is positions of a thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 and a color filter layer CF 5 . More specifically, the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 is disposed between the touch sensor layer TP 5 and the color filter layer CF 5 , and the touch sensor layer TP 5 is disposed between the first glass substrate G 51 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 . Details of other correspondingly components are as those previously described and shall not be further given.

Referring to FIG. 5 , in the display panel 500 according to this embodiment of the present disclosure, through integration, the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 and the color filter layer CF 5 are disposed at a same side of a liquid crystal layer LC 5 ; the touch sensor layer TP 5 , the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 and the color filter layer G 51 are all joined with a first glass substrate G 51 having a hard surface structure G 51 a . Therefore, a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a touch sensor layer structure, a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a thin-film transistor structure, and a conventional glass substrate used for manufacturing a color filter structure are not needed.

Further, when the touch sensor layer TP 5 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 are integrated to a same side of the liquid crystal layer LC 5 , circuits of the touch sensor layer TP 5 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 are given with more optimal planning and integration, so that a circuit layout design may be completed through an external circuit board disposed at one side of the touching display panel 500 .

In this embodiment, the touching display panel 500 further comprises an insulation layer PL 5 . The insulation layer PL 5 is disposed between the touch sensor layer TP 5 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 , so as to prevent undesired parasitic capacitance between the touch sensor layer TP 5 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 that may undesirably affect image display effects or touch sensing effects.

Referring to FIG. 5 , from outside to inside, the first glass substrate G 51 , the touch sensor layer TP 5 , the insulation layer PL 5 , the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 , the color filter layer CF 5 , the liquid crystal layer LC 5 and the second glass substrate G 52 are sequentially arranged. Other materials may be arranged between the first glass substrate G 51 , the touch sensor layer TP 5 , the insulation layer PL 5 , the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 , the color filter layer CF 5 , the liquid crystal layer LC 5 and the second glass substrate G 52 as required.

For example, a first polarization layer PF 51 and a second polarization layer PF 52 are joined with an internal structure of the touching display panel 500 through a polarizer-film-in-cell technique without any pasting process. For example, the first polarization layer PF 51 and the second polarization layer PF 52 are respectively disposed at the two sides of the liquid crystal layer LC 5 . The first polarization layer PF 51 may be disposed between the first glass substrate G 51 and the touch sensor layer TP 5 , or between the touch sensor layer TP 5 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 . That is, the first polarization layer PF 51 may be disposed between the touch sensor layer TP 5 and the insulation layer PL 5 , or between the insulation layer PL 5 and the thin-film transistor layer TFT 5 . The second polarization layer PF 52 may be disposed at an outer side of the second glass substrate G 52 relative to the liquid crystal layer LC 5 . In the embodiment in FIG. 5 , the first polarization layer PF 51 is disposed between the first glass substrate G 51 and the touch sensor layer TP 5 , and the second polarization layer PF 52 is disposed at an outer side of the second glass substrate G 52 .

Further, a black matrix of the color filter layer CF 5 may be integrated to spacing elements PS 5 through a black matrix sharing technique to further reduce a thickness of the color filter layer CF 5 .

With the embodiments above, it is illustrated that a touching display panel of the present disclosure structurally integrates a touch sensor layer, a thin-film transistor layer or a color filter layer to a glass substrate having a hard surface structure, so that the number of substrates is decreased and a thickness of the touching display panel is also reduced to resultantly offer an integrated touching display panel that allows optimal circuit planning and design.

While the disclosure has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.