Capacitive touch panel having an on-cell type and a laminated structure

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a touch panel, especially to an on-cell capacitive touch panel capable of effectively inhibiting reverse signals and enhancing signal uniformity.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In general, there are several different laminated structures of the capacitive touch panel. For example, in an on-cell capacitive touch panel, touch sensors are disposed on the outer surface of the glass of the display panel, so that display function and touch function can be integrally provided, and the laminated structure of the on-cell capacitive touch panel can become simpler. If the on-cell capacitive touch panel has no cover lens, the user can directly perform touch operation on the display panel.

Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 . FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate two different laminated structures of the on-cell capacitive touch panel respectively. The difference between the laminated structure 1 shown in FIG. 1 and the laminated structure 2 shown in FIG. 2 is that the laminated structure 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes cover lens 18 and optical clear adhesive (OCA)/optical clear resin (OCR) 16 , but the laminated structure 2 shown in FIG. 2 does not.

It should be noticed that the laminated structure 2 shown in FIG. 2 having no cover lens 18 and OCA/OCR 16 can achieve the effects of simple laminated structure, reducing thickness, and saving costs; however, stronger reverse signals will be generated accordingly and multi-touch sensing performance of the on-cell capacitive touch panel will become poor.

For example, two touch points P 1 and P 2 in FIG. 3 are located at the upper left corner and the bottom right corner of the touch panel TP having the laminated structure 2 instead of being located at the same axis, the reverse signals are generated at a first location R 1 and a second location R 2 on the touch panel TP respectively, and the first location R 1 and the second location R 2 are located at the bottom left corner and the upper right corner of the touch panel TP; therefore, the reverse signals generated will not cancel out the touch signals of the two touch points P 1 and P 2 . However, two touch points P 3 and P 4 in FIG. 4 are located at the same axis of the touch panel TP having the laminated structure 2 , the reverse signals are generated at a third location R 3 and a fourth location R 4 on the touch panel TP respectively, and the third location R 3 and the fourth location R 4 will overlap the two touch points P 3 and P 4 ; therefore, the reverse signals generated will cancel out the touch signals of the two touch points P 3 and P 4 , and the multi-touch sensing performance of the touch panel TP will become poor.

Therefore, the invention provides a capacitive touch panel to solve the above-mentioned problems.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is also an on-cell capacitive touch panel. In this embodiment, the capacitive touch panel includes a laminated structure. The laminated structure includes a LCD module, a touch sensing module, and a polarizing module. The touch sensing module is disposed on the LCD module. The polarizing module is disposed on the touch sensing module. The touch sensing module includes a plurality of touch sensor patterns. A touch sensor pattern of the plurality of touch sensor patterns has a single-layer ITO structure. The touch sensor pattern includes a first pattern unit and a second pattern unit which are symmetrical to a center of the touch sensor pattern. The first pattern unit and the second pattern unit both include at least one first electrode and at least two second electrodes. The at least one first electrode includes a first section and a second section. The first section is arranged along a first direction and the at least two second electrodes are arranged along a second direction. The second section is L-shaped and includes a horizontal part and a vertical part. The horizontal part crosses a second electrode of the at least two second electrodes and the horizontal part is coupled to the first section via a bridge structure. The vertical part extends to the center of the touch sensor pattern. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The bridge structure in the first pattern unit and that in the second pattern unit are symmetrical to the center of the touch sensor pattern.

In an embodiment, a width of the first section and that of the horizontal part of the second section are 200˜600 um.

In an embodiment, a width of the vertical part of the second section is 100˜400 um.

In an embodiment, a width of the at least two second electrodes is 100˜400 um.

In an embodiment, the touch sensor pattern and another touch sensor pattern adjacent to the touch sensor pattern along the first direction mirror each other.

In an embodiment, the touch sensor pattern and another touch sensor pattern adjacent to the touch sensor pattern along the second direction mirror each other.

In an embodiment, a conductive material of the plurality of touch sensor patterns is indium tin oxide (ITO), nano silver, or carbon nanotube.

In an embodiment, the first direction is a horizontal direction and the second direction is a vertical direction, or the first direction is the vertical direction and the second direction is the horizontal direction.

In an embodiment, the at least one first electrode is a sensing electrode and the at least two second electrodes are driving electrodes, or the at least one first electrode is the driving electrode and the at least two second electrodes are the sensing electrodes.

Another preferred embodiment of the invention is an on-cell capacitive touch panel. In this embodiment, the capacitive touch panel includes a laminated structure. The laminated structure includes a LCD module, a touch sensing module, and a polarizing module. The touch sensing module is disposed on the LCD module. The polarizing module is disposed on the touch sensing module. The touch sensing module includes a plurality of touch sensor patterns which are identical. A touch sensor pattern of the plurality of touch sensor patterns has a single-layer ITO structure. The touch sensor pattern includes a first pattern unit and a second pattern unit which are identical. The first pattern unit and the second pattern unit both include at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode, and at least one extending electrode. The at least one first electrode is arranged along a first direction and the at least one second electrode is arranged along a second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The at least one first electrode crosses the at least one second electrode via a bridge structure. The at least one extending electrode surrounds the at least one first electrode and the at least one extending electrode is arranged along the first direction.

In an embodiment, a width of the at least one first electrode is 100˜400 um.

In an embodiment, a width of the at least one second electrode is 200˜600 um.

In an embodiment, a width of the at least one extending electrode is 20˜100 um.

In an embodiment, a distance between the at least one extending electrode and the at least one first electrode is 20˜100 um.

In an embodiment, the bridge structure is located at centers of the first pattern unit and the second pattern unit.

In an embodiment, the at least one extending electrode extends from the at least one second electrode toward an edge of the touch sensor pattern along the first direction.

In an embodiment, the at least one extending electrode has single slope or multi-slope.

In an embodiment, a conductive material of the plurality of touch sensor patterns is indium tin oxide (ITO), nano silver, or carbon nanotube.

In an embodiment, the first direction is a horizontal direction and the second direction is a vertical direction, or the first direction is the vertical direction and the second direction is the horizontal direction.

In an embodiment, the at least one first electrode is a sensing electrode and the at least one second electrode is a driving electrode, or the at least one first electrode is the driving electrode and the at least one second electrode is the sensing electrode.

Compared with the prior arts, the on-cell capacitive touch panel having well-designed touch sensor patterns of the invention can effectively inhibit reverse signals and enhance signal uniformity without cover lens and optical clear adhesive (OCA)/optical clear resin (OCR); therefore, the multi-touch sensing performance of the on-cell capacitive touch panel can be enhanced.

The advantage and spirit of the invention may be understood by the following detailed descriptions together with the appended drawings.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate two different laminated structures of the on-cell capacitive touch panel respectively.

FIG. 3 illustrates the locations the reverse signals generated when two touch points are located at the upper left corner and the bottom right corner of the touch panel having the laminated structure.

FIG. 4 illustrates the locations the reverse signals generated when two touch points are located at the same axis on the touch panel having the laminated structure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram of the on-cell capacitive touch panel having the same touch sensor patterns in a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of the touch sensor pattern of FIG. 5 .

FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic diagram of the on-cell capacitive touch panel having the same touch sensor patterns in another preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic diagram of the touch sensor pattern of FIG. 7 .

FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic diagram of the on-cell capacitive touch panel having touch sensor patterns arranged in a specific arranging way in another preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates a schematic diagram of the touch sensor pattern of FIG. 9 .

A preferred embodiment of the invention is an on-cell capacitive touch panel.

In this embodiment, the laminated structure of the on-cell capacitive touch panel can have no cover lens and OCA/OCR as the laminated structure 2 shown in FIG. 2 , but not limited to this.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the laminated structure 2 includes a LCD module 10 , a touch sensing module 12 , and a polarizing module 14 . The touch sensing module 12 is disposed on the LCD module 10 ; the polarizing module 14 is disposed on the touch sensing module 12 . In fact, the polarizing module 14 can be a polarizer or polarizing film, but not limited to this.

Please refer to FIG. 5 . FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram of the on-cell capacitive touch panel 5 having the same touch sensor patterns 50 in a preferred embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 5 , in the laminated structure of the on-cell capacitive touch panel 5 , the touch sensing module includes nine same touch sensor patterns 50 arranged in a (3*3) type, but not limited to this. It should be noticed that geometric lines of the touch sensor patterns 50 shown in FIG. 5 are presented in a sawtooth form, but not limited to this. In fact, the geometric lines of the touch sensor patterns 50 shown in FIG. 5 can be presented in any lines or curves having different curvatures or curved forms or any other regular or irregular geometric lines without any limitations. It can be adjusted based on practical requirements.

In this embodiment, the touch sensor patterns 50 have a single-layer ITO structure. The conductive material of the touch sensor patterns 50 can be transparent thin-film conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO), nano silver, or carbon nanotube, but not limited to this. The touch sensor patterns 50 includes at least one first electrode arranged along a first direction and at least one second electrode arranged along a second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

It should be noticed that the first electrode is a sensing electrode and the second electrode is a driving electrode, or the first electrode is a driving electrode and the second electrode is a sensing electrode. There is no specific limitation.

Please refer to FIG. 6 . FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of the touch sensor pattern 50 of FIG. 5 . As shown in FIG. 6 , the touch sensor pattern 50 includes a first pattern unit 50 A and a second pattern unit 50 B which are the same. Since the first pattern unit 50 A and the second pattern unit 50 B are the same, the first pattern unit 50 A will be taken as an example introduced in detail as follows.

The first pattern unit 50 A includes first electrodes E 11 ˜E 12 , a second electrode E 2 , and extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 . Wherein, the first electrodes E 11 ˜E 12 are arranged along a first direction (the vertical direction); the second electrode E 2 is arranged along a second direction (the horizontal direction). The extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 surround the first electrodes E 11 ˜E 12 and the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 are arranged along the first direction (the vertical direction). Obviously, the first direction (the vertical direction) is perpendicular to the second direction (the horizontal direction).

In this embodiment, the first electrodes E 11 ˜E 12 are coupled above the second electrode E 2 via a bridge structure B 1 to cross the second electrode E 2 . The bridge structure B 1 is located at the center of the first pattern unit 50 A. The width W 1 of the first electrodes E 11 ˜E 12 can be 100˜400 um, and the width W 2 of the second electrode E 2 can be 200˜600 um, but not limited to this.

As shown in FIG. 6 , the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 surrounding the first electrodes E 11 ˜E 12 are arranged along the first direction (the vertical direction). More detail, the extending electrodes S 11 and S 13 extend upward from the second electrode E 2 disposed at two sides of the first electrode E 11 toward an edge G 1 of the first pattern unit 50 A, and a specific distance d will be maintained between the extending electrodes S 11 and S 13 and the first electrode E 11 respectively. Similarly, the extending electrodes S 12 and S 14 extend downward from the second electrode E 2 disposed at two sides of the first electrode E 12 toward another edge G 2 of the first pattern unit 50 A, and the specific distance d will be maintained between the extending electrodes S 12 and S 14 and the first electrode E 12 respectively.

In this embodiment, the width W 3 of the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 can be 20˜100 um; the specific distance d between the extending electrodes S 11 and S 13 and the first electrode E 11 and between the extending electrodes S 12 and S 14 and the first electrode E 12 can be 20˜100 um, but not limited to this. In addition, the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 can have single slope or multi-slope without any specific limitations.

It should be noticed that the extending electrodes S 11 and S 13 extending upward toward the edge G 1 of the first pattern unit 50 A can extend to the edge G 1 or only extend a specific length without any specific limitations. Similarly, the extending electrodes S 12 and S 14 extending downward toward the edge G 2 of the first pattern unit 50 A can extend to the edge G 2 or only extend a specific length without any specific limitations.

Although the first electrodes E 11 ˜E 12 , the second electrode E 2 , and the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 of the touch sensor patterns 50 shown in FIG. 6 are presented in a sawtooth form, but not limited to this. In fact, the first electrodes E 11 ˜E 12 , the second electrode E 2 , and the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 shown in FIG. 6 can be presented in any lines or curves having different curvatures or curved forms or any other regular or irregular geometric lines without any limitations. It can be adjusted based on practical requirements.

Then, please refer to FIG. 7 . FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic diagram of the on-cell capacitive touch panel 7 having the same touch sensor patterns 70 in another preferred embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 7 , in the laminated structure of the on-cell capacitive touch panel 7 , the touch sensing module includes nine same touch sensor patterns 70 arranged in a (3*3) type, but not limited to this. It should be noticed that geometric lines of the touch sensor patterns 70 shown in FIG. 7 are presented in a sawtooth form, but not limited to this. In fact, the geometric lines of the touch sensor patterns 70 shown in FIG. 7 can be presented in any lines or curves having different curvatures or curved forms or any other regular or irregular geometric lines without any limitations. It can be adjusted based on practical requirements.

In this embodiment, the touch sensor patterns 70 have a single-layer ITO structure. The conductive material of the touch sensor patterns 70 can be transparent thin-film conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO), nano silver, or carbon nanotube, but not limited to this. The touch sensor patterns 70 includes at least one first electrode arranged along a first direction and at least one second electrode arranged along a second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

It should be noticed that the first electrode is a sensing electrode and the second electrode is a driving electrode, or the first electrode is a driving electrode and the second electrode is a sensing electrode. There is no specific limitation.

Please refer to FIG. 8 . FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic diagram of the touch sensor pattern 70 of FIG. 7 . As shown in FIG. 8 , the touch sensor pattern 70 includes a first pattern unit 70 A and a second pattern unit 70 B which are the same. Since the first pattern unit 70 A and the second pattern unit 70 B are the same, the first pattern unit 70 A will be taken as an example introduced in detail as follows.

The first pattern unit 70 A includes a first electrode E 1 , second electrodes E 21 ˜E 22 , and extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 . Wherein, the first electrode E 1 is arranged along a first direction (the horizontal direction); the second electrodes E 21 ˜E 22 are arranged along a second direction (the vertical direction). The extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 surround the first electrode E 1 and the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 are arranged along the first direction (the horizontal direction). Obviously, the first direction (the horizontal direction) is perpendicular to the second direction (the vertical direction).

In this embodiment, the second electrodes E 21 ˜E 22 are coupled above the first electrode E 1 via a bridge structure B 1 to cross the first electrode E 1 . The bridge structure B 1 is located at the center of the first pattern unit 70 A. The width W 1 of the first electrode E 1 can be 100˜400 um, and the width W 2 of the second electrodes E 21 ˜E 22 can be 200˜600 um, but not limited to this.

As shown in FIG. 8 , the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 surrounding the first electrode E 1 are arranged along the first direction (the horizontal direction). More detail, the extending electrodes S 11 and S 12 extend leftward and rightward respectively from the second electrode E 21 disposed above the first electrode E 1 toward edges G 3 and G 4 of the first pattern unit 70 A, and a specific distance d will be maintained between the extending electrodes S 11 and S 12 and the first electrode E 1 respectively. Similarly, the extending electrodes S 13 and S 14 extend leftward and rightward respectively from the second electrode E 22 disposed below the first electrode E 1 toward edges G 3 and G 4 of the first pattern unit 70 A, and the specific distance d will be maintained between the extending electrodes S 13 and S 14 and the first electrode E 1 respectively.

In this embodiment, the width W 3 of the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 can be 20˜100 um; the specific distance d between the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 and the first electrode E 1 can be 20˜100 um, but not limited to this. In addition, the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 can have single slope or multi-slope without any specific limitations.

It should be noticed that the extending electrodes S 11 and S 13 extending leftward toward the edge G 3 of the first pattern unit 70 A can extend to the edge G 3 or only extend a specific length without any specific limitations. Similarly, the extending electrodes S 12 and S 14 extending rightward toward the edge G 4 of the first pattern unit 70 A can extend to the edge G 4 or only extend a specific length without any specific limitations.

Although the first electrode E 1 , the second electrodes E 21 ˜E 22 , and the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 of the touch sensor patterns 70 shown in FIG. 8 are presented in a sawtooth form, but not limited to this. In fact, the first electrode E 1 , the second electrodes E 21 ˜E 22 , and the extending electrodes S 11 ˜S 14 shown in FIG. 8 can be presented in any lines or curves having different curvatures or curved forms or any other regular or irregular geometric lines without any limitations. It can be adjusted based on practical requirements.

The laminated structure of the on-cell capacitive touch panel of the invention has no cover lens and OCA/OCR; however, since the on-cell capacitive touch panels 5 and 7 of the invention include the same touch sensor patterns 50 and 70 shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8 respectively, when the user touches the on-cell capacitive touch panel 5 or 7 , the on-cell capacitive touch panel 5 or 7 can effectively inhibit reverse signals and enhance signal uniformity. Therefore, even multiple touch points are located at the same axis on the on-cell capacitive touch panel 5 or 7 and reverse signals are generated at the locations overlapping the touch points, since the strength of reverse signals is too low to cancel out the touch signals of the touch points, the touch signals of the touch points will not be canceled out and the multi-touch sensing performance of the on-cell capacitive touch panel 5 and 7 can be effectively enhanced.

Furthermore, please refer to FIG. 9 . FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic diagram of the on-cell capacitive touch panel 9 having touch sensor patterns 90 arranged in a specific arranging way in another preferred embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 9 , in the laminated structure of the on-cell capacitive touch panel 9 , the touch sensing module includes nine same touch sensor patterns 90 arranged in a (3*3) type. Each touch sensor pattern 90 will mirror its adjacent touch sensor pattern 90 along the horizontal direction and its adjacent touch sensor pattern 90 along the vertical direction. It should be noticed that geometric lines of the touch sensor patterns 90 shown in FIG. 9 are presented in a sawtooth form, but not limited to this. In fact, the geometric lines of the touch sensor patterns 90 shown in FIG. 9 can be presented in any lines or curves having different curvatures or curved forms or any other regular or irregular geometric lines without any limitations. It can be adjusted based on practical requirements.

In this embodiment, the touch sensor patterns 90 have a single-layer ITO structure. The conductive material of the touch sensor patterns 90 can be transparent thin-film conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO), nano silver, or carbon nanotube, but not limited to this. The touch sensor patterns 90 includes at least one first electrode arranged along a first direction and at least one second electrode arranged along a second direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

It should be noticed that the first electrode is a sensing electrode and the second electrode is a driving electrode, or the first electrode is a driving electrode and the second electrode is a sensing electrode. There is no specific limitation.

As shown in FIG. 10 , the touch sensor pattern 90 includes a first pattern unit 90 A and a second pattern unit 90 B. In this embodiment, the first pattern unit 90 A and the second pattern unit 90 B are symmetrical to a center CT of the touch sensor pattern 90 .

The first pattern unit 90 A includes first electrodes E 11 ˜E 12 and second electrodes E 21 ˜E 22 . The first electrode E 11 is arranged along the first direction (the horizontal direction); the first electrode E 12 is L-shaped and the first electrode E 12 includes a horizontal part E 121 and a vertical part E 122 . The horizontal part E 121 of the first electrode E 12 is coupled to the first electrode E 11 above the second electrode E 21 via a first bridge structure B 1 to cross the second electrode E 21 arranged along the second direction (the vertical direction). The vertical part E 122 of the first electrode E 12 extends to the center CT of the touch sensor pattern 90 . Obviously, the first direction (the horizontal direction) is perpendicular to the second direction (the vertical direction).

Similarly, the second pattern unit 90 B includes first electrodes E 12 ˜E 13 and second electrodes E 21 ˜E 22 . The first electrode E 13 is arranged along the first direction (the horizontal direction); the first electrode E 12 is L-shaped and the first electrode E 12 includes the vertical part E 122 and a horizontal part E 123 . The horizontal part E 123 of the first electrode E 12 is coupled to the first electrode E 13 above the second electrode E 22 via a second bridge structure B 2 to cross the second electrode E 22 arranged along the second direction (the vertical direction). The vertical part E 122 of the first electrode E 12 extends to the center CT of the touch sensor pattern 90 . It should be noticed that the first bridge structure B 1 in the first pattern unit 90 A and the second bridge structure B 2 in the second pattern unit 90 B are symmetrical to the center of the touch sensor pattern 90 , but not limited to this.

In this embodiment, the width W 1 of the first electrode E 11 , the first electrode E 13 , and the horizontal parts E 121 and E 123 of the first electrode E 12 is 200˜600 um; the width W 2 of the second electrode E 2 and the vertical part E 122 of the first electrode E 12 is 100˜400 um.

Compared with the prior arts, the on-cell capacitive touch panel having well-designed touch sensor patterns of the invention can effectively inhibit reverse signals and enhance signal uniformity without cover lens and optical clear adhesive (OCA)/optical clear resin (OCR); therefore, the multi-touch sensing performance of the on-cell capacitive touch panel can be enhanced.

Above all, the on-cell capacitive touch panel of the invention having well-designed touch sensor patterns capable of inhibiting reverse signals has following advantages:

(1) Its laminated structure can have no cover lens and OCA/OCR;

(2) Its touch sensor pattern has a single-layer ITO structure and includes sensing electrode and driving electrode, its conductive material can be indium tin oxide (ITO), nano silver, or carbon nanotube.

(3) It can effectively reduce the reversed signals generated due to no cover lens.

(4) The relative configuration relationship between the bridge structure and the extending electrode of its repeated symmetrical pattern units can effectively increase the signal uniformity of the on-cell capacitive touch panel.

With the example and explanations above, the features and spirits of the invention will be hopefully well described. Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teaching of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.