Touch device and method for manufacturing the same

This application claims the benefit of Chinese application No. 201110459049.X, filed on Dec. 29, 2011.

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a touch technology. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a touch device and a method for manufacturing the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

Touch panels have been widely used in home appliances, communication devices, and electronic information devices. Touch panel can be integrated with, a display panel to form a touch, display panel that allows a user to choose an image displayed on the panel directly by a finger or a stylus. Due to the convenience accorded to users, touch display panels are gradually replace physical keyboards as an input interface for various electronic products and providing an efficient operation system.

A sensing electrode layer of a touch panel is usually disposed in a sensing area of the touch panel, wherein a mask layer is disposed at periphery of the sensing area, and wherein various circuits, such as signal wires that transmit signals of the sensing electrode layer, are disposed on the mask layer. In a practical production process, a mask layer is usually formed on a substrate of a touch panel prior to a sensing electrode layer, and then a sensing electrode layer is formed by sputtering, etching and high-temperature baking. However, in the process of high-temperature baking, impurities such as CO 2 , CO, and H 2 O can easily volatilize from the mask layer and infiltrate into the metal oxide that forms the sensing electrode layer, leading to change in conductive performance and affecting the sensing sensitivity, which is unfavorable for accuracy of the subsequent touch detection. Therefore, impurities generated by the mask layer should be reduced as much as possible to stabilize performance of the sensing electrode layer.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a touch device and method for manufacturing the same is provided, wherein a mask layer is formed with small and bigger portions in a peripheral area and the sensing electrode layer is formed between the steps of forming the two portions of the mask layer, thereby reducing the sensing electrode layer is affected by the bigger portion the mask layer for solving the problem that conductive performance of a sensing electrode layer of a touch panel is unstable due to the influence of impurities of a mask layer.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch device comprises: a protection cover having a sensing area and a peripheral area surrounding the sensing area; a first mask layer disposed in the peripheral area surrounding the sensing area; a second mask layer disposed in the peripheral area surrounding the first mask layer, wherein the area of the second mask layer is bigger than that of the first mask layer; and a sensing electrode layer having a sensing portion located in the sensing area and an extension portion extending from the sensing area to the peripheral area, wherein the extension portion is disposed on the first mask layer.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure a method for manufacturing a touch device is provided, wherein the touch device comprises a protection cover having a sensing area and a peripheral area surrounding the sensing area, the method comprising: forming a first mask layer in the peripheral area surrounding the sensing area; forming a sensing electrode layer after the step of forming the first mask layer, wherein the sensing electrode layer comprises a sensing portion formed in the sensing area and an extension portion extending from the sensing area to the peripheral area, wherein the extension portion is disposed on the first mask layer; and forming a second mask layer surrounding the first mask layer after the step of forming the sensing electrode layer, wherein the area of the second mask layer is bigger than that of the first mask layer.

For forming the first mask layer and the second mask layer in the mask portion of the peripheral area in two steps impurities generated by the mask layers are reduced, thereby stabilizing performance of the sensing electrode layer.

For those skilled in the art to understand the present disclosure, numerous embodiments are described below, annexing drawings to minutely illustrate the matters of the disclosure and the purpose thereof.

FIG. 1 is top view of a touch device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is schematic sectional view of the touch device sectioned along a section line X-X′ shown in FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 3A˜FIG . 3 E are schematic sectional views of a touch device during intermediate manufacturing process in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring, to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , FIG. 1 is a top view of a touch device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure and FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the touch device along a sectional line X-X′ shown in FIG. 1 . A touch device 100 , comprises a protection cover 102 having a sensing area 100 A and a peripheral area 100 B surrounding the sensing area 100 A, a sensing, electrode layer 104 , a first mask layer 116 A, and a second mask layer 116 B.

The protection cover 102 may provide a protection function for the elements disposed below the protection cover 10 , such as the sensing electrode layer 104 , the first mask layer 116 A, and the second mask layer 116 B, etc., and also may provide a supporting function to bear those elements. The protection cover 102 may be a transparent substrate made by glass or plastic material. The protection cover 102 has a first surface 102 A and a second surface 102 B, wherein the first surface 102 A of the protection cover 102 is used as a touch surface of the touch device 100 and the second surface 102 B of the protection cover 102 bears the disposition of the sensing electrode layer 104 , the first mask layer 116 A, and the second mask layer 116 B, etc.

The touch device 100 , for example, can be a capacitive touch device. The sensing electrode layer 104 comprises a sensing portion 104 A and an extension portion 104 B. The sensing portion 104 A is disposed in the sensing area 100 A of the touch device 100 . The extension portion 104 B extends from the sensing portion 104 A to the peripheral area 100 B and is disposed on the first mask layer 116 A. The sensing electrode layer 104 comprises a plurality of first sensing electrodes 104 AX arranged in rows and a plurality of second sensing electrodes 104 AY arranged in columns. Two adjacent first sensing electrodes 104 AX arranged in rows are mutually connected via a connection line 114 while the second sensing, electrodes 104 AY arranged in columns are separated from each other and the adjacent two second sensing electrodes 104 AY in a same column are electrically connected by a jumper 120 . An insulation layer 112 is disposed between the connection line 114 and the jumper 120 such that the first sensing electrode 104 AX is electrically insulated from the second sensing electrode 104 AY. Thus, the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is formed, but pattern of the sensing electrode layer is not limited thereto. Pattern of the sensing electrode layer can be single-layer and single-axis or double-layer and double-axis. Various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

When an operator touches the sensing area 100 A of the first surface 102 A of the protection cover 102 by a finger or a stylus, a sensing capacitance is generated between the finger or the stylus and the sensing portion 104 A of the sensing electrode layer 104 . The sensing capacitance is transformed into an electrical signal and then transmitted to an external circuit for further calculating touch positions.

The first mask layer 116 A and the second mask layer 116 B are disposed in the peripheral area 100 B of the touch device 100 . The first mask layer 116 A surrounds the sensing portion 104 A in the sensing area 100 A and is located between the protection cover 102 and the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 . The second mask layer 116 B surrounds the first mask layer 116 A and covers the remaining peripheral area 100 B that is not covered by the first mask layer 116 A. The area of the second mask layer 116 B is bigger than that of the first mask layer 116 A. Therefore the first mask layer 116 A can be made much smaller, compared with the touch device with one big mask layer formed in one manufacturing process, and the impurities such as CO 2 , CO and H 2 O generated from the first mask layer 116 A can be reduced during the process of manufacturing the sensing electrode layer 104 . In a preferred embodiment, size of the first mask layer 116 A is designed to cover 0.1%-5% of the area of the protection cover 102 such that impurities such as CO 2 , CO and H 2 O generated from the first mask layer 116 A while forming the sensing electrode layer 104 are reduced, thereby ensuring sensing capability of the sensing electrode layer 104 .

The first sensing electrodes 104 AX and the second sensing electrodes 104 AY can further extend to the first mask layer 116 A to form an extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 . The area of the first mask layer 116 A can be larger than or equal that of the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 . In one preferable embodiment, the scope of the surface of the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 just covers that the surface of the first mask layer 116 A, so patterns, of the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer and the first mask layer 116 A can be substantially same. For example, if the extension portion 104 B comprises a plurality of separated rectangles, semicircles, triangles or any other polygons, the first mask layer 116 A can also comprise a plurality of separated rectangles, semicircles, triangles or any other polygons, but it is not limited thereto. Pattern of the first mask layer 116 A can be different from that of the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer. For example, the first mask layer 116 A can be a frame shape surrounding the sensing area 100 A. While the extension portion 104 B can comprise a plurality of separated rectangles, semicircles, triangles or any other polygons covering the first mask layer 116 A.

More specifically, the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 extends from the edge of the sensing area 100 A to the first mask layer 116 A. The first mask layer 104 has a slant surface 1163 and a flat surface 1164 abutting on the slant surface 1163 , and the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 is formed along the slant surface 1163 to the flat surface 1164 of the first mask layer 116 A. The slant degree of the first mask layer 116 A is, for example, about 20 degrees to 40 degrees, thereby preventing the extension portion 104 B from breaking. In an embodiment, end of the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 can directly contact with a side wall of the second mask layer 116 B. Besides, total thickness of the first mask layer 116 A and the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 can be substantially equivalent to thickness of the second mask layer 116 B. More specifically, the second mask layer 116 B has a top surface 1161 and a bottom surface 1162 , the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 has a top surface 1041 facing to the first mask layer 116 A and a bottom surface 1042 . The bottom surface 1042 is substantially flush with the bottom surface 1162 of the second mask layer 116 B. The first mask layer 116 A and the second mask layer 116 B can be made of a same material such as of colored photoresist or printing ink. Moreover, there are no openings in the first mask layer 116 A, in the second mask layer 116 B, or between the first mask layer 116 A and the second mask layer 116 B such that mask effects of all areas in the peripheral area 100 B are the same. Thus, even if the visible area includes the peripheral area 100 B when a user operates the touch device 100 , all areas in the peripheral, area 100 B have no color difference.

In an embodiment, a touch device 100 further comprises a signal transmitting wire 120 formed on a second mask layer 116 B and on an extension portion 104 B of a sensing electrode layer 104 thereby electrically connecting the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 and an external circuit (not shown) and transmitting a capacitance change sensed by a sensing portion 104 A of the sensing electrode layer 104 to a signal processor (not shown) of the touch device 100 for computing a touch signal. Since the bottom surface 1042 is substantially flush with the bottom surface 1162 of the second mask layer 116 B, the signal transmitting, wire 120 is flat, thereby ensuring, resistance of the signal transmitting wire 120 in a steady state and avoiding resistance fluctuation due to bending of the circuit.

In an embodiment, a protection layer 124 fully covers all the elements (such as a sensing portion 104 A and an extension portion 104 B of a sensing electrode layer 104 , a first mask layer 116 A and a second mask layer 116 B) disposed on a second surface 102 B of a protection cover 102 to protect these elements and provide a flat surface for attaching a display panel 140 .

FIG. 3A˜FIG . 3 E are schematic sectional views of a touch device during an intermediate manufacturing process in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Firstly, as shown in FIG. 3A a protection cover 102 is provided and divided into a sensing area and a peripheral area surrounding the sensing area. The protection cover 102 has a first surface 102 A and a second surface 102 B opposite to the first surface 102 A, wherein the first surface 102 A is used as a touch surface. A first mask layer 116 A is formed on the second surface 102 B within a peripheral area 100 B of the protection cover 102 . The first mask layer 116 A can be made of colored photoresist, printing ink or other non-transparent materials, and can be formed by many modes, for example, formed by a deposition process and then patterned by a photolithographic process, or formed by printing process. Other features of the first mask layer 116 A have been described in above embodiments, so the description is not made again herein.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3B , a sensing electrode layer 104 is formed on the second surface 102 B of the protection cover 102 and on the first mask layer 116 A. The sensing electrode layer comprises a sensing portion 104 A and an extension portion 104 B. A sensing portion 104 A of the sensing electrode layer 104 located in a sensing area 100 A can be patterned into first sensing electrodes 104 AX arranged in rows and second sensing electrodes 104 AY arranged in columns as shown in FIG. 1 by a photoetching process or a printing process. The extension portion 104 B extends from the sensing area 100 A to the peripheral area 100 B, and is disposed on the first mask layer 116 A. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 , two adjacent first sensing electrodes 104 AX are mutually connected via a connection line 114 and the second sensing electrodes 104 AY are separated from each other, and other features of the sensing electrode layer 104 have been described in above embodiments, so the description is not made again herein.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3C , after the sensing elements in the sensing area 100 A are all formed, a second mask layer 116 B is formed in the remaining portion of the peripheral area 100 B that is not covered by the first mask layer 116 A, and the area of the second mask layer 116 B is bigger than that of the first mask layer 116 A. The second mask layer 116 B and the first mask layer 116 A can be formed by same technique and material. In an embodiment, the second mask layer 116 B is thicker than the first mask layer 116 A. Excessive part of the second mask layer 116 B can be removed by a planarization process, such as chemical mechanical polishing, until its bottom surface 1162 is substantially flush with bottom surface 1042 of an extension portion of the sensing electrode layer.

Then, referring to FIG. 3D , a signal transmitting wire 120 is formed on the second mask layer 116 B and on the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 for electrically connecting the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 and an external circuit (not shown) and transmitting a capacitance change sensed by a sensing portion 104 A of the sensing electrode layer 104 to a signal processor (not shown) of the touch device 100 for computing a touch signal. The signal transmitting wire 120 can be made of a metal material and patterned by a photolithographic process or a printing process.

Furthermore, an insulation layer 112 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is formed on the connection line 114 for electrically insulating the corresponding first sensing electrode 104 AX and the second sensing electrode 104 AY after the forming step of the sensing electrode layer 104 , the second mask layer 116 B or the signal transmitting wire 120 . As to simplify the figure, the insulation layer 112 here is not shown in FIG. 3B , FIG. 3C or FIG. 3D .

Moreover; a jumper 120 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be formed on, the insulation layer 112 for electrically connecting correspondingly two adjacent second sensing electrodes 104 AY after the insulation layer 112 is formed, in one embodiment, the jumper 120 and the signal transmitting wire 120 can be formed at the same manufacturing process. As to simplify the figure, the jumper 120 here is not shown in FIG. 3D .

Thus, the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is formed by the steps shown in FIGS. 3A˜3D , but pattern of the sensing electrode layer 104 is not limited thereto, the insulation layer 112 , the jumper 120 are also unnecessary to be designed for the pattern of the sensing electrode layer 104 accordingly. Pattern of the sensing electrode layer can be single-layer and single-axis or double-layer and double-axis. Various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Finally, referring to FIG. 3E , a protection layer 124 is formed to cover all the elements (including the sensing portion 104 A and the extension portion 104 B of the sensing electrode layer 104 , the first mask layer 116 A, and the second mask layer 116 B) on the second surface 102 B and provide a substantially flat surface. Thus, manufacturing of a touch panel is completed. Subsequently, a display panel 140 is attached on the protection layer 124 , thereby forming the touch device 100 provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

While certain embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been described by way of illustration and not limitations.