Screen device

Abstract

The present invention provides a screen device capable of avoiding ripples. The screen device includes a conductive mesh pattern formed on a film-type transparent substrate to enable at least one of touch input and electromagnetic wave shielding. The mesh pattern includes a plurality of atypical polygons aligned along the upper surface of the transparent substrate. The spacing value of each of the plurality of atypical polygons is within a predetermined range, and adjacent atypical polygons have different spacing values.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a screen device, and more specifically, to a screen device capable of avoiding ripple effects. Background Technology

[0002] Touchscreen devices are input devices provided to various display devices, such as plasma display panels (PDPs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), micro-LEDs, and active matrix organic light-emitting diodes (AMOLEDs). Touchscreen devices are used as input devices for various operating systems in many industrial sectors, ranging from small mobile devices to large consoles. Methods for recognizing user touches using such touchscreen devices include capacitive methods, resistive film methods, and infrared sensing methods, with capacitive methods being the most common.

[0003] Capacitive touch screen devices can be manufactured, for example, by laminating two transparent substrates (with touch sensors on one surface) or by forming touch sensors on both surfaces of a single transparent substrate. The touch sensors provided in capacitive touch screen devices are formed from thin metal conductive lines to detect changes in capacitance and are formed in a mesh pattern to transmit light.

[0004] Meanwhile, conventionally, to avoid ripples caused by interference between the mesh pattern of the touch sensor and the pixel pattern of the display device, irregularities are imparted to the thin conductive lines forming the mesh pattern. However, conventional touch sensors have the problem that the thin conductive lines are concentrated in unspecified areas due to excessive irregularity, creating a foreign material sensation. This results in ripples that are still difficult to avoid due to the foreign material sensation, and also reduces visibility.

[0005] The basic technology of this invention is disclosed in the following patent documents.

[0006] (Patent Document 1) KR10-2015-0143987A

[0007] (Patent Document 2) KR10-2019-0044625A Summary of the Invention

[0008] Technical issues

[0009] This invention provides a screen device that can avoid ripple effects.

[0010] This invention provides a screen device that can increase the electromagnetic wave shielding effect.

[0011] Technical solutions

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the screen device is a light transmission screen device. The screen device includes a conductive mesh pattern formed on a film-shaped transparent substrate to realize at least one of touch input and electromagnetic wave shielding. The mesh pattern is composed of a plurality of irregular polygons arranged along the upper surface of the transparent substrate. The spacing value of each of the plurality of irregular polygons is included within a preset range, and the spacing values ​​of corresponding adjacent irregular polygons are different from each other.

[0013] The number of vertices of an irregular polygon can be four or more, and the directions of the corresponding sides of the irregular polygon can be different from each other.

[0014] In an irregular polygon, the angles formed by the adjacent sides around each vertex can be different from each other.

[0015] The spacing value of each of the multiple irregular polygons can be determined such that the light transmittance of the mesh pattern is 80% or greater, and the sheet resistance of the mesh pattern is 10 ohms / cm² or less than 10 ohms / cm².

[0016] Among the spacing values ​​of multiple irregular polygons, the lower limit value can be 70% of the reference spacing value, and the upper limit value can be 130% of the reference spacing value.

[0017] The reference spacing value can be any value selected from 100 micrometers to 500 micrometers.

[0018] With a reference spacing value of 350 micrometers, the spacing values ​​of multiple irregular polygons can be distributed in the range of 245 micrometers to 455 micrometers.

[0019] With a reference spacing value of 400 micrometers, the spacing values ​​of multiple irregular polygons can be distributed in the range of 280 micrometers to 520 micrometers.

[0020] With a reference spacing value of 450 micrometers, the spacing values ​​of multiple irregular polygons can be distributed in the range of 315 micrometers to 585 micrometers.

[0021] With a reference spacing value of 500 micrometers, the spacing values ​​of multiple irregular polygons can be distributed in the range of 350 micrometers to 650 micrometers.

[0022] The recessed grooves can form a mesh pattern on the upper surface of a transparent substrate, and the mesh pattern can be formed along the grooves.

[0023] Multiple irregular polygons may include multiple mesh lines, and the width and depth of each mesh line may range from 4 micrometers to 10 micrometers.

[0024] The mesh pattern may include multiple unit mesh blocks arranged in an array, and the shape and size of the irregular polygons forming the boundaries between the unit mesh blocks at the outermost part of each of the multiple unit mesh blocks may be different from each other.

[0025] Multiple unit mesh blocks can have the same size.

[0026] Multiple unit mesh blocks can be 5 cm × 5 cm or smaller than 5 cm × 5 cm, and can contain rectangular shapes.

[0027] In a mesh pattern, multiple broken lines can be formed to separate and divide multiple channels, each of which is conductive to form multiple channels.

[0028] Beneficial effects

[0029] According to embodiments of the present invention, by distributing the spacing values ​​of the irregular polygons constituting the mesh pattern on the transparent substrate within a predetermined range, it is possible to prevent the appearance or aggregation of irregular polygons that are relatively large or small compared to the surrounding environment in unspecified areas of the mesh pattern, and it is possible to prevent unspecified areas in the mesh pattern from being more prominent than the surrounding environment. In other words, it is possible to prevent the appearance of a foreign material sensation at the boundary lines of the irregular polygons due to such size differences. Therefore, when the screen device is attached to the front surface of the display device and used as a touch screen device or an electromagnetic wave shielding device, it is possible to substantially prevent ripples caused by the foreign material sensation of the mesh pattern, and it is possible to avoid ripples and improve the visibility of the screen device by preventing the pixel pattern of the display device from interfering with the mesh pattern of the screen device at all angles, regardless of the pixel pattern of the display device. Furthermore, it is possible to increase the electromagnetic wave shielding effect by preventing irregular polygons from concentrating in unspecified locations. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a screen device according to an example of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a mesh pattern according to an example of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a screen device according to an example of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 4 Photographs showing the mesh patterns of comparative examples and instances according to the present invention.

[0034] Figures 5 to 7 A diagram illustrating the characteristics of a screen device in a comparative example and instance according to the present invention.

[0035] Figure 8 Photographs are used to illustrate whether or not ripples appear in a screen device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 9 A photograph illustrating a display device to which the screen device according to an example of the present invention is applied.

[0037] Explanation of icon numbers

[0038] 10: Transparent substrate;

[0039] 20: Mesh pattern;

[0040] 21: Irregular polygon;

[0041] 21a: First irregular polygon;

[0042] 21b: Second irregular polygon;

[0043] 30: Protective substrate;

[0044] 40: Connector;

[0045] 50: Peripheral cabling;

[0046] A: Unitary network block;

[0047] c: Channel section;

[0048] H: Depth;

[0049] P, Pa, Pb: Spacing values;

[0050] r: Distance value / Extension direction;

[0051] S: side;

[0052] V: Vertex;

[0053] W: Width;

[0054] θ: Angle. Detailed Implementation

[0055] In the following description, specific examples will be illustrated with reference to the accompanying illustrations. However, the invention may be embodied in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein. Rather, these examples are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and that they will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Examples are shown in enlarged form to illustrate the invention, and similar reference numerals in the illustrations refer to the same elements.

[0056] The screen device according to an embodiment of the present invention can be arranged on the front surface portion of a display device, and can be used differently as at least one of a touch screen device and an electromagnetic wave shielding device, and can be used in vehicle windows or building windows. The screen device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0057] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a screen device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a mesh pattern according to an example of the present invention, and Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional view of a screen device according to an example of the present invention.

[0058] refer to Figures 1 to 3 According to an example of the present invention, the screen device is a light-transmitting screen device and includes a conductive mesh pattern 20 formed on a film-shaped transparent substrate 10 to achieve at least one of touch input and electromagnetic wave shielding. In this case, the mesh pattern 20 consists of a plurality of irregular polygons 21 arranged along the upper surface of the transparent substrate 10. Furthermore, the spacing value P of each of the plurality of irregular polygons is contained within a preset range, and the spacing values ​​of corresponding adjacent irregular polygons are different from each other. In addition, the screen device described above may include a transparent substrate 10, a protective substrate 30, a connector 40, and peripheral wiring 50. The screen device may have multiple sets, such as two sets, of the transparent substrate 10, the mesh pattern 20, the protective substrate 30, the connector 40, and the peripheral wiring 50, and these sets may be vertically stacked and laminated together.

[0059] refer to Figure 1 The transparent substrate 10 serves as a base material. The transparent substrate 10 can be, for example, a base film or a base material layer. The transparent substrate 10 can be formed in a film shape. Specifically, the transparent substrate 10 can be formed in a rectangular film shape. Of course, the transparent substrate 10 can be formed in various shapes. The lower surface of the transparent substrate 10 can be stacked on the panel of the display device. The mesh pattern 20, connectors 40, and peripheral wiring 50 can be formed on the upper surface of the transparent substrate 10, and its upper surface can be protected by a protective substrate 30. A glass substrate (not shown) can be used to protect the upper surface of the protective substrate 30.

[0060] The area of ​​the transparent substrate 10 may be larger than the screen area of ​​the display device to which it will be applied, or may be the same as the screen area described above. The thickness of the transparent substrate 10 may be greater than 10 micrometers and less than or equal to 250 micrometers. In this case, if the thickness of the transparent substrate 10 is 10 micrometers or less, it may be difficult to form the mesh pattern 20 on the transparent substrate 10 to the required thickness. And when the thickness of the transparent substrate 10 is greater than 250 micrometers, the brightness of the screen device may be lower than the required brightness. The transparent substrate 10 may contain various resin materials that can be manufactured in film form. For example, the transparent substrate 10 may contain polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Of course, the transparent substrate 10 may contain various materials, such as polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyimide (PI), polycarbonate (PC), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The transparent substrate 10 may have, for example, 80% or greater light transmittance. On the other hand, for light transmittance properties, the closer to 100%, the better the light transmittance, and the closer to 0%, the worse the light transmittance.

[0061] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The mesh pattern 20 acts as a touch sensor. The mesh pattern 20 may be referred to as, for example, a patterned electrode, a detection electrode, a sensor layer, or an electrode layer. To form the mesh pattern 20 on the upper surface of the transparent substrate 10, recessed grooves in the shape of the mesh pattern 20 can be formed on the upper surface of the transparent substrate 10, and the mesh pattern 20 can be formed along the grooves. That is, the mesh pattern 20 can be formed by filling a conductive material into the recess on the upper surface of the transparent substrate 10. In this case, the transparent substrate 10 may contain a plastic resin material, and after filling the grooves formed on the transparent substrate 10 with a squeegee containing a conductive metallic material, heat can be applied to form the mesh pattern 20. Thereafter, foreign matter can be removed by shaving the surface of the mesh pattern 20 to a predetermined thickness. Although the gravure engraving electrode method for forming the mesh pattern 20 described above by filling a conductive material into the recess of the transparent substrate 10 has been described as an example, an imprint engraving electrode method that forms the mesh pattern 20 protruding from the upper surface of the transparent substrate 10 to a predetermined thickness can also be applied.

[0062] The mesh pattern 20 may contain, for example, a conductive metallic material. Specifically, the mesh pattern 20 may contain silver. Of course, the material of the mesh pattern 20 can be various, including copper, aluminum, nickel, and chromium.

[0063] The mesh pattern 20 may contain multiple mesh lines. These mesh lines can intersect each other in various directions to form multiple irregular polygons 21. That is, each side of the multiple irregular polygons 21 can be formed by mesh lines. Simultaneously, the mesh lines can be referred to as thin conductive lines.

[0064] The width and depth (thickness) of the mesh lines will be described based on the following: the mesh lines are formed by a gravure etching electrode method for filling conductive material in a gravure of a transparent substrate 10. The width W of each mesh line can be from 4 micrometers to 10 micrometers. Furthermore, the depth H of each mesh line can be from 4 micrometers to 10 micrometers. The cross-sectional shape of the mesh lines can be rectangular. If the width W and depth H of the mesh lines are both less than 4 micrometers, it may be difficult to manufacture the mesh pattern 20. If the width W and depth H of the mesh lines are both greater than 10 micrometers, the light transmittance of the mesh pattern 20 may be affected, and the screen visibility of the display device to which the screen device is applied may be reduced. On the other hand, when each of the width W and depth H of the mesh lines is closer to 4 micrometers, the light transmittance of the mesh pattern 20 is improved, and when each of the width W and depth H of the mesh lines is closer to 10 micrometers, changes in capacitance caused by user touch can be accurately detected.

[0065] When forming the mesh lines using an imprint engraving electrode method (which is a method for forming mesh lines protruding from the upper surface of the transparent substrate 10), the width of the mesh lines can be from 0.5 micrometers to 10 micrometers, and the thickness can be from 0.2 micrometers to 5 micrometers. The cross-sectional shape of such mesh lines can be rectangular. In this case, the imprint engraving electrode method can be manufactured using photolithography and etching processes, and therefore, it is possible to implement finer mesh line widths and thicknesses.

[0066] Multiple irregular polygons 21 are arranged along the upper surface of the transparent substrate 10, forming a mesh pattern 20. That is, the mesh pattern 20 may comprise multiple irregular polygons 21 formed by intersecting irregular thin conductive lines. Here, "irregular" means unconventional shape. That is, an irregularity can be a non-standard shape in which the shape is defined as a predetermined shape, but a regularly repeating pattern cannot be derived from a predetermined shape. Therefore, the multiple irregular polygons 21 may have different shapes. The spacing value of each of the multiple irregular polygons may be within a preset range, and the spacing values ​​of corresponding adjacent irregular polygons may be different from each other. The spacing value refers to the maximum value among the distance values ​​between the vertices V of the irregular polygons 21.

[0067] The area on the transparent substrate 10 where the mesh pattern 20 is formed can be a channel area, a touch area, or an active area, and the remaining areas can be peripheral areas. The channel area can contain multiple channel segments c. The mesh pattern 20 formed in each channel segment c can be electrically insulated from the mesh patterns 20 in adjacent channel segments c by a break or the like. That is, in the mesh pattern 20, multiple break lines can be formed to separate and divide multiple channels, each of which is conductive in a predetermined direction, thus forming multiple channels. A break line refers to a break at the periphery of each channel. Meanwhile, the shape and arrangement of the channel segments c can vary.

[0068] The protective substrate 30 may be formed to cover the upper surface of the transparent substrate 10 and the mesh pattern 20. The protective substrate 30 may have a film shape. The protective substrate 30 may contain an optically clear adhesive (OCA) material and may be optically transparent. The protective substrate 30 may be referred to as a protective sheet, adhesive sheet, or adhesive film.

[0069] Connector 40 and peripheral wiring 50 may be formed in a peripheral region on transparent substrate 10. Connector 40 may be electrically connected to mesh pattern 20, and peripheral wiring 50 may connect connector 40 to external circuitry (not shown). Touch signals sensed by mesh pattern 20 may be transmitted to external circuitry via connector 40. Connector 40 and peripheral wiring 50 described above may contain at least one of indium tin oxide (ITO) film material, copper material, and silver material.

[0070] In the following text, reference will be made to Figure 2 The plurality of irregular polygons 21 provided in the mesh pattern 20 according to an example of the present invention are described in detail.

[0071] Multiple irregular polygons 21 may each have four or more vertices V. For example, the irregular polygon 21 may be a polygon containing quadrilaterals or more. For example, when comparing irregular polygons with triangles and irregular polygons with the same spacing, the irregular polygons with triangles have a smaller area than the irregular polygons with rectangles or more, and the irregular polygons with triangles are not large enough compared to the pixel area of ​​the display device, therefore the pixels and the irregular polygons with triangles may optically interfere with each other. When the irregular polygon 21 is formed by polygons with quadrilaterals or more, since its area is greater than the same pixel value, optical interference between the irregular polygon 21 and the pixel can be suppressed or prevented.

[0072] The irregular polygon 21 can have various shapes, such as quadrilaterals, pentagons, and hexagons. Examples of the invention will be described in detail below with reference to a pentagonal irregular polygon 21.

[0073] For example, an irregular polygon 21 formed with five vertices V and five sides S may include a first vertex, a second vertex, a third vertex, a fourth vertex, and a fifth vertex, and a first side, a second side, a third side, a fourth side, and a fifth side. The extension directions r of the corresponding sides S of the irregular polygon 21 may be different from each other. That is, the first direction of the first side extending, the second direction of the second side extending, the third direction of the third side extending, the fourth direction of the fourth side extending, and the fifth direction of the fifth side extending may be different directions. Furthermore, in the irregular polygon 21, the angle θ formed by the adjacent sides S around each vertex V may be different from each other. Therefore, it is possible to substantially prevent the boundary lines between the irregular polygons 21 from forming a constant pattern and being more prominent than the surrounding environment. For example, when the irregularity of the irregular polygon 21 is excessive, it may instead appear as if there is foreign matter on the mesh pattern 20, but in the typical polygon 21 of the embodiment of the invention, foreign matter can be substantially prevented.

[0074] Meanwhile, in the irregular polygon 21, the distance values ​​r between vertices can differ from each other within a predetermined range. The distance values ​​between the first and second vertices, the second and third vertices, the third and fourth vertices, the fourth and fifth vertices, and the fifth and first vertices can all be included within the predetermined range and may differ from each other. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the shape of each irregular polygon 21 from being significantly distorted compared to its surroundings, and it is possible to suppress or prevent unspecified irregular polygons 21 from being prominent compared to their surroundings. The shapes of adjacent irregular polygons 21 among the plurality of irregular polygons 21 formed as described above may differ from each other. Specifically, the shapes of the first irregular polygon 21a and the second irregular polygon 21b that are adjacent to each other may differ from each other. In this case, the spacing value Pa of the first irregular polygon 21a and the spacing value Pb of the second irregular polygon 21b may also differ from each other.

[0075] In the plurality of irregular polygons 21, each spacing value P can be determined based on the light transmittance and sheet resistance of the mesh pattern 20. Specifically, the spacing value of each of the plurality of irregular polygons 21 can be determined such that the light transmittance of the mesh pattern is 80% or greater than 80%, and the sheet resistance of the mesh pattern is 10 ohms / cm² or less than 10 ohms / cm². For example, the lower limit of the spacing value of the irregular polygons 21 can be any value selected from the value of the light transmittance of the mesh pattern 20 being 80% or greater than 80%, and the upper limit of the spacing value of the irregular polygons 21 can be any value selected from the value of the mesh pattern 20 being 10 ohms / cm² or less than 10 ohms / cm². Here, the upper limit of the light transmittance of the mesh pattern 20 can be less than 100%, and the lower limit of the sheet resistance of the mesh pattern 20 can be 0.1 ohms / cm² or greater than 0.1 ohms / cm². As described above, the lower and upper limits of the spacing value P of the irregular polygon 21 can be selected within the range of 70 micrometers to 650 micrometers.

[0076] Simultaneously, the lower limit of the spacing value P among the multiple irregular polygons 21 can be 70% of the reference spacing value, and the upper limit can be 130% of the reference spacing value. That is, the upper and lower limits of the multiple irregular polygons 21 can be determined based on a predetermined value of the reference spacing value, and therefore, the multiple irregular polygons 21 can have a deviation of ±30% relative to the reference spacing value. Specifically, the minimum spacing value can have a deviation of -30% relative to the reference spacing value, and the maximum spacing value can have a deviation of +30%. In other words, the upper and lower limits of the spacing values ​​of the multiple irregular polygons 21 can be determined using the reference spacing value. In other words, the reference spacing value refers to the spacing value that serves as a reference for determining the upper and lower limits of the spacing values.

[0077] For example, among the spacing values ​​of multiple irregular polygons 21, the minimum spacing value can be 0.7 times the reference spacing value, and the maximum spacing value can be 1.3 times the reference spacing value. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the size of each of the irregular polygons 21 from being too prominent compared to its surroundings, and to suppress or prevent unspecified irregular polygons 21 from being too prominent compared to their surroundings.

[0078] In other words, if the deviations of the upper and lower limits relative to the reference spacing value exceed those described above, then when an irregular polygon with the minimum spacing value and an irregular polygon with the maximum spacing value are adjacent to each other, the boundary between the irregular polygons will appear more prominent than the surrounding environment due to their size difference, and a sense of foreign matter may arise. Conversely, if the deviations of the upper and lower limits relative to the reference spacing value are within the range described above, then even if an irregular polygon with the minimum spacing value and an irregular polygon with the maximum spacing value are adjacent to each other, the boundary may not be prominent compared to the surrounding environment, and a sense of foreign matter may be prevented.

[0079] The reference spacing value can be determined, for example, to be the same as or similar to the pixel size of the display device to which the screen device will be applied within a predetermined spacing value range, such that the minimum and maximum spacing values ​​determined using the reference spacing value are included within the range of the spacing value P, such that the light transmittance of the mesh pattern 20 is 80% or greater and the sheet resistance of the mesh pattern 20 is 10 ohms / cm² or less. When the light transmittance of the mesh pattern 20 is less than 80%, it is difficult to visually and accurately identify the screen output from the display device placed under the mesh pattern 20. When the sheet resistance of the mesh pattern 20 exceeds 10 ohms / cm², the touch recognition sensitivity of the mesh pattern 20 may decrease.

[0080] The reference spacing value described above can be any value selected from 100 micrometers to 500 micrometers. In this case, if the magnitude of the reference spacing value is less than 100 micrometers, then the magnitude of the minimum spacing value can be less than 70 micrometers, and due to the irregular polygons with the minimum spacing value, the light transmittance of the mesh pattern 20 can be reduced to less than 80%. If the magnitude of the reference spacing value is greater than 500 micrometers, then the magnitude of the maximum spacing value exceeds 650 micrometers, and due to the irregular polygons with the maximum spacing value, the sheet resistance of the mesh pattern 20 can be greater than 10 ohms / cm². On the other hand, as the spacing value P of the irregular polygons 21 increases, the light transmittance properties of the mesh pattern 20 can be improved. Furthermore, as the spacing value P of the irregular polygons 21 decreases, the sheet resistance of the mesh pattern 20 can be reduced.

[0081] Therefore, in the irregular polygon 21, the magnitude of the reference spacing value and the range of the spacing value P caused by the magnitude of the reference spacing value can be determined according to the light transmittance and sheet resistance required for the mesh pattern 20, as described above, and the light transmittance and sheet resistance of the mesh pattern 20 containing the irregular polygon 21 can be maintained at the required high level. On the other hand, if the light transmittance properties of the mesh pattern 20 degrade, the screen device will have difficulty accurately recognizing the screen output from the display device, and if the sheet resistance of the mesh pattern 20 increases, the touch recognition sensitivity may decrease.

[0082] As described above, if the size of the unspecified portion of the irregular polygon 21 constituting the mesh pattern 20 is relatively larger or smaller than its periphery, then the corresponding portion may be more prominent than its periphery. Therefore, the range of spacing values ​​P of the irregular polygon 21 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically illustrated below.

[0083] (Example 1)

[0084] The lower limit of the spacing value P of the irregular polygons 21 is 70 micrometers, and the upper limit is 130 micrometers. In this case, the reference spacing value can be 100 micrometers. The shape or size of each irregular polygon 21 can be determined to be within the range of the spacing value P. Therefore, multiple irregular polygons 21 can have different spacing values ​​P within the range of 70 micrometers to 130 micrometers. Thus, it is possible to substantially prevent predetermined shapes with a specific regularity from forming in the mesh pattern 20, while preventing the irregularity of the irregular polygons 21 from becoming excessive.

[0085] (Example 2)

[0086] The spacing value P of the plurality of irregular polygons 21 has a lower limit of 140 micrometers and an upper limit of 260 micrometers, and in this case, the reference spacing value can be 200 micrometers. The shape or size of each irregular polygon 21 can be determined to be within the range of the spacing value P. That is, the plurality of irregular polygons 21 constituting the mesh pattern 20 can have different amounts of spacing value P within the range of 140 micrometers to 260 micrometers.

[0087] (Example 3)

[0088] The lower limit of the spacing value P of the irregular polygons 21 is 210 micrometers, and the upper limit is 390 micrometers. In this case, the reference spacing value can be 300 micrometers. The shape or size of each irregular polygon 21 can be determined to be within the range of the spacing value P. That is, the multiple irregular polygons 21 constituting the mesh pattern 20 can have different amounts of spacing value P within the range of 210 micrometers to 390 micrometers.

[0089] (Example 4)

[0090] The lower limit of the spacing value P of the irregular polygons 21 is 245 micrometers, and the upper limit is 455 micrometers. In this case, the reference spacing value can be 350 micrometers. That is, the multiple irregular polygons 21 constituting the mesh pattern 20 can have different spacing values ​​P within the range of 245 micrometers to 455 micrometers. If the range of spacing values ​​P of the multiple irregular polygons 21 exceeds the range described above, then when irregular polygons with a spacing value P of less than 245 micrometers and irregular polygons with a spacing value P of greater than 455 micrometers are adjacent to each other, a sense of foreign matter may appear in the mesh pattern 20 due to their size difference.

[0091] (Example 5)

[0092] The lower limit of the spacing value P of the irregular polygons 21 is 280 micrometers, and the upper limit is 520 micrometers. In this case, the reference spacing value can be 400 micrometers. The shape or size of each irregular polygon 21 can be determined to be within the range of the spacing value P. That is, the multiple irregular polygons 21 constituting the mesh pattern 20 can have different amounts of spacing value P within the range of 280 micrometers to 520 micrometers. If the range of the spacing value P of the multiple irregular polygons 21 exceeds the range described above, then when an irregular polygon with a spacing value P of less than 280 micrometers and an irregular polygon with a spacing value P of greater than 520 micrometers are adjacent to each other, a foreign material sensation may appear in the mesh pattern 20 due to their size difference.

[0093] (Example 6)

[0094] The lower limit of the spacing value P of the irregular polygons 21 is 315 micrometers, and the upper limit is 585 micrometers. In this case, the reference spacing value can be 450 micrometers. That is, the multiple irregular polygons 21 constituting the mesh pattern 20 can have different spacing values ​​P within the range of 315 micrometers to 585 micrometers. If the range of the spacing values ​​P of the multiple irregular polygons 21 exceeds the range described above, then a foreign material sensation may appear in the mesh pattern 20.

[0095] (Example 7)

[0096] The spacing value P of the irregular polygons 21 has a lower limit of 350 micrometers and an upper limit of 650 micrometers, and in this case, a reference spacing value can be 500 micrometers. The shape or size of each irregular polygon 21 can be determined to be within the range of the spacing value P. That is, the multiple irregular polygons 21 constituting the mesh pattern 20 can have different amounts of spacing value P within the range of 350 micrometers to 650 micrometers. If the range of the spacing value P of the multiple irregular polygons 21 exceeds the range described above, then a foreign material sensation may appear in the mesh pattern 20.

[0097] Therefore, the reference spacing value can be selected from 100 micrometers to 500 micrometers, and the range of spacing values ​​P of the multiple irregular polygons 21 can be determined based on the reference spacing value as described above. This is due to the electrical and optical properties of the touch screen device formed by the mesh. The touch screen device is positioned above the display device and therefore must ensure a transmittance of a certain value or greater, and requires low sheet resistance to achieve high sensitivity upon touch.

[0098] Transmittance and sheet resistance depend on the magnitude of the spacing value in the mesh, and generally, the magnitude of the spacing value, transmittance, and sheet resistance of the mesh pattern 20 are proportional to each other. At a reference spacing value of 100 micrometers for the mesh pattern 20, the transmittance has a value of approximately 80%, and the sheet resistance shows a value of approximately 1 ohm / square. Furthermore, at a reference spacing value of 500 micrometers, the touch screen device has a transmittance of approximately 87% and a sheet resistance of approximately 7 ohms / square. It can be confirmed from these figures that there is a gain in transmittance as the spacing value increases, but due to the correspondingly increased sheet resistance value, the touch sensitivity can exhibit a lower value compared to meshes with smaller spacing.

[0099] Furthermore, by distributing the spacing value P of the irregular polygons 21 within a predetermined range in this manner, it is possible to prevent the irregular polygons 21 (which are relatively large or small compared to their surroundings) from appearing or agglomerating in the unspecified areas of the mesh pattern 20, and it is also possible to prevent the unspecified areas in the mesh pattern 20 from being more prominent than their surroundings. In other words, it is possible to prevent the sensation of foreign matter at the boundaries of the irregular polygons 21 due to size differences. In this case, since the sheet resistance of the mesh pattern 20 decreases as the reference spacing value approaches 100 micrometers, touch sensitivity can be improved. Since the light transmittance increases as the reference spacing value approaches 500 micrometers, the screen of the display device to which the screen device is applied can become brighter.

[0100] Simultaneously, a predetermined design program can be used to design the shape of the mesh pattern 20 as described above. In this case, designing the entire shape of the mesh pattern 20 together with the predetermined design program described above would result in a significant computational load. Therefore, referring to... Figure 1 According to an example of the present invention, the mesh pattern 20 may include a plurality of unit mesh blocks A arranged in an array.

[0101] In other words, in an example of the present invention, in a mesh pattern 20, the entire area of ​​the mesh pattern 20 is divided into unit mesh blocks A of the same size. The shape of the mesh pattern is designed for each segment of unit mesh block A, and the designed shapes are arranged in an array, thereby forming the shape of a mesh pattern 20 that is connected to each other. In this case, the size of the multiple unit mesh blocks A can be determined according to, for example, the number of mesh objects in the block. Here, the number of mesh objects in the block is determined according to the number of meshes (polygons) in the block, and in this case, the appropriate number of objects is 40,000 to 250,000. If such a number of objects is implemented as square-shaped blocks, then the block size can be up to 5 cm × 5 cm. Specifically, the block size can be 1 cm × 1 cm or larger than 1 cm × 1 cm and 5 cm × 5 cm or smaller than 5 cm × 5 cm. For example, the block size can be selected from 1 cm × 1 cm to 5 cm × 5 cm. Of course, the block size can vary within the range of 5 cm × 5 cm or smaller than 5 cm × 5 cm.

[0102] For the shape of these blocks, square blocks, which optimally set the length of each region's sides, can be used; however, other types of rectangles can also be used. The appropriate number of objects and the block size should be determined based on the computational capabilities of the general-purpose design PC. If the appropriate number is exceeded, problems may arise during calculations during the design phase.

[0103] In this case, to prevent visual identification of the boundaries of unit mesh blocks A, the irregular polygons forming the boundaries between unit mesh blocks A at the outermost portion of each of the multiple unit mesh blocks A have different shapes and sizes. That is, in the multiple unit mesh blocks A, the shape and size of the irregular polygons of the boundary lines can be corrected.

[0104] Specifically, the shape and size of the irregular polygons 21 can be corrected such that the lengths and extension directions r of the sides S of the irregular polygons 21 located at the boundaries of the unit mesh blocks A are different from each other. The shape of the irregular polygons 21 can be corrected such that the angles θ formed by the adjacent sides S around each vertex V are different. This correction is called block boundary line correction. In this way, it is possible to prevent the perception of foreign matter from occurring at the boundaries of the unit mesh blocks A, and it is possible to arrange the corresponding unit mesh blocks A naturally or smoothly in an array. That is to say, due to the computational power of the design PC, it is difficult to design the entire shape of the mesh pattern 20 at once, therefore the shape of the unit mesh blocks A should be designed individually and then arranged in an array to design it as a mesh pattern 20.

[0105] In this scenario, if block boundary line correction is not performed, although the spacing values ​​of adjacent irregular polygons 21 within each unit mesh block A are different, the spacing values ​​of adjacent irregular polygons 21 can be the same when inspecting the boundary of unit mesh block A. Therefore, the boundary of unit mesh block A can be visually identified.

[0106] In contrast, when designing the shape of each of the unit mesh blocks A and then arranging them in an array to design the shape of a mesh pattern 20, if block boundary line correction is performed, the spacing values ​​of adjacent irregular polygons on the entire surface of the mesh pattern can be different from each other. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the visual identification of the boundaries of the unit mesh blocks A.

[0107] Figure 4 (a) and Figure 4 (b) is a photograph showing the mesh pattern of the comparative examples and instances according to the present invention. Figure 4 (a) is a mesh pattern according to a comparative example of the invention, in which the spacing values ​​range from 70 micrometers to 130 micrometers, the line width and depth of the mesh lines are each 10 micrometers, and since the block boundary lines are not corrected, at least some of the spacing values ​​of adjacent irregular polygons near the boundary of the unit mesh block are the same. Upon examining the boundary of the mesh pattern according to the comparative example, it can be confirmed that irregular polygons with relatively small sizes are considered clustered, and it can be seen that, due to size differences, shadows with linear shapes are visually identifiable on the mesh pattern.

[0108] In comparison, Figure 4(b) shows a mesh pattern according to an example of the invention, in which the spacing values ​​range from 70 micrometers to 130 micrometers, the line width and depth of the mesh lines are each 10 micrometers, and the spacing values ​​of corresponding adjacent irregular polygons on the entire surface of the mesh pattern 20 are different from each other due to the correction of the block boundary lines. As shown in the figure, the spacing values ​​of the plurality of irregular polygons 21 deviate from the reference spacing value by ±30%. Therefore, it can be confirmed that the aggregation of irregular polygons attributable to size differences does not occur as a whole in the mesh pattern, and the aggregation described above does not even occur at the boundaries between blocks. That is, in the example of the invention, it is visible that shadows with linear shapes are not formed on the mesh pattern. Meanwhile, the boundary lines described above refer to the boundary lines of the unit mesh blocks forming the mesh pattern.

[0109] Figures 5 to 7 The diagram illustrates the characteristics of a screen device used in a comparative example and instance according to the present invention. Specifically, Figure 5 A table showing the light transmittance of screen devices of comparative examples and instances according to the present invention is provided. Figure 6 To illustrate the electromagnetic shielding rate of the screen devices of comparative examples and instances according to the present invention, and Figure 7 To be Figure 6 The value is represented as a curve in the graph. Here, light transmittance is the transmittance relative to the intensity of light passing through the screen device, and the larger the value, the better the light transmission.

[0110] Figure 5 The comparative example is a mesh pattern formed by irregular polygons, wherein no reference spacing value is used to limit the upper and lower limits of the spacing value, and it is a mesh pattern containing irregular polygons, wherein the center value of the spacing value is 100 micrometers and the spacing value ranges from 70 micrometers to 130 micrometers within a predetermined range, and the line width and depth of the mesh lines are each 10 micrometers. Figure 5 An example is a mesh pattern formed by irregular polygons, wherein a reference spacing value is used to limit the upper and lower limits of the spacing value, and it is a mesh pattern containing irregular polygons, wherein the reference spacing value is 100 micrometers and the spacing value ranges from 70 micrometers to 130 micrometers, and the line width and depth of the mesh lines are each 10 micrometers.

[0111] The comparison includes the basis Figure 5 The light transmittance of the comparative example's mesh pattern screen device is less than 84%, while the light transmittance of the example screen device is greater than 84%. In other words, it can be seen that the light transmittance is greater in the example case. This means that the screen device of the example better transmits and displays the screen of the display device.

[0112] The difference in light transmittance between the comparative example and the instance is due to the fact that, in the case of the comparative example, because the difference between the upper and lower limits of the spacing value is large, irregular polygons with relatively small spacing values ​​are more clearly presented than the surrounding environment, and shadows appear and deepen in the corresponding parts. Furthermore, the shadows and pixel patterns of the display device interfere with each other to form wavy interference fringes. On the other hand, in the case of the instance, the upper and lower limits of the spacing value are limited by a deviation of ±30% from the reference spacing value. When the spacing values ​​are distributed differently within a limited range, it is possible to prevent excessive irregularity while eliminating the repetition of regular shapes in the mesh pattern, thereby substantially preventing wavy interference fringes caused by size differences, improving visibility, and making the visibility better.

[0113] Figure 6 An example is a mesh pattern formed by irregular polygons, in which a reference spacing value is used to limit the upper and lower limits of the spacing value, and it is a mesh pattern containing irregular polygons, wherein the reference spacing value is 240 micrometers, the spacing value ranges from 168 micrometers to 312 micrometers, and the line width and depth of the mesh lines are each 10 micrometers.

[0114] Figure 6 The comparative example is a mesh pattern formed by irregular polygons, wherein no reference spacing value is used to limit the upper and lower limits of the spacing value, and it is a mesh pattern containing irregular polygons, wherein the center value of the spacing value is 200 micrometers and the spacing value ranges from 140 micrometers to 260 micrometers within a predetermined range, and the line width and depth of the mesh lines are each 10 micrometers.

[0115] Electromagnetic wave shielding velocity was measured using a screen device with the mesh pattern described in the examples and comparative examples above in the frequency range of 30 Hz to 1.5 GHz, and in Figure 6 The table shows the maximum (dB) values. The maximum (dB) column in the figure represents the maximum value among the electromagnetic shielding rate values ​​measured in each frequency range. In this case, electromagnetic shielding rate refers to the measurement unit as decibels, and the larger the value, the better the electromagnetic shielding. Furthermore, although the center value of the spacing values ​​for the comparative examples is smaller than the reference spacing value for the examples, it can be confirmed that the shielding rate of the examples shows a higher value than that of the comparative examples.

[0116] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7It can be confirmed that the electromagnetic wave shielding rate of the screen device containing the mesh pattern of the example is generally greater than that of the comparative example. That is, the mesh pattern of the example of the present invention can shield electromagnetic waves better than the mesh pattern of the comparative example. This is because the mesh pattern of the example is limited such that the upper and lower limits of the spacing values ​​deviate from the reference spacing values ​​by ±30%, and therefore it is possible to prevent irregular polygons much smaller than the surrounding environment from converging in unspecified locations.

[0117] Based on the description above, it can be confirmed that the screen device with the mesh pattern of the example has a greater light transmittance and a greater electromagnetic wave shielding rate than the screen device with the mesh pattern of the comparative example. Furthermore, it can be confirmed that in the screen device with the mesh pattern of the example, no wavy interference fringes appear due to interference with the pixel pattern of the display device, but in the screen device with the mesh pattern of the comparative example, wavy interference fringes appear due to interference with the pixel pattern of the display device.

[0118] This is because the comparative example differs significantly from the example in the magnitude of the upper and lower limits of the spacing values. Therefore, when the irregularity becomes excessive, the irregular polygons concentrate at unspecified locations, thereby reducing light transmittance and electromagnetic wave shielding effects, and forming wavy interference fringes by creating a material-like appearance on the mesh pattern. In contrast, in the example, since the irregularity is not excessive, the wavy phenomenon is avoided, and the electromagnetic wave shielding effect is increased. Therefore, it can be seen that the mesh pattern 20 composed of the irregular polygons 21 according to the example of the invention avoids the wavy phenomenon, has good visibility, and has an excellent electromagnetic wave shielding effect. That is, it can be confirmed that the screen device according to the example has better optical characteristics and electromagnetic wave shielding performance than the screen device according to the comparative example.

[0119] Figure 8 For the purpose of illustrating the presence or absence of ripples in a screen device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 9 A photograph illustrating a display device to which the screen device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. Here, in Figure 8 The visible portion within the dark black bar represents the bezel of the display device, and the rectangular area inside the bezel represents the screen portion of the display device. Figure 8 A photograph of a display device taken through a screen device according to an example of the present invention.

[0120] In the comparative example, because irregular polygons can converge and shadows can appear at irregular locations within the mesh pattern, the ripple effect can become severe depending on the degree to which the angle is determined on the display device. In contrast, in the example case, because it is possible to prevent the convergence of irregular polygons and the appearance of shadows at irregular locations within the mesh pattern, even when the screen device is superimposed on... Figure 8 No wavy interference fringes appear on the display shown. Therefore, as Figure 9 As shown, in an example of the present invention, even when the screen device is rotated 360 degrees in all directions, it can be confirmed that ripples can be avoided in all directions and good visibility can be ensured.

[0121] As described above, in an embodiment of the present invention, since the plurality of irregular polygons 21 of the mesh pattern 20 have polygonal shapes, said polygonal shapes having at least four or more sides and having shapes different from each other, the boundary visibility problem from all angles of 360 degrees can be solved, while satisfying the optical and electrical properties required by the screen device, and ripple phenomena can be avoided. Therefore, when the screen device is attached to the front surface of the display device and used as a touch screen device or an electromagnetic wave shielding device, it is possible to substantially prevent ripple phenomena caused by the external bodily sensation of the mesh pattern. Furthermore, ripple phenomena can be avoided at all angles of 360 degrees by preventing the pixel pattern of the display device from interfering with the mesh pattern of the screen device at all angles, regardless of the pixel pattern of the display device, and the visibility of the screen device can be improved.

[0122] The above examples of the present invention are intended to illustrate the invention, but not to limit it. It should be noted that the configurations and methods disclosed in the above examples of the present invention can be combined and modified in various forms by combining or cross-linking with each other, and such modifications can also be considered to be within the scope of the present invention. That is, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention will be implemented in many different forms within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, and various examples are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. A screen device, which is a light transmission screen device, comprising: A conductive mesh pattern is formed on a film-shaped transparent substrate to enable at least one of touch input and electromagnetic wave shielding, wherein The mesh pattern consists of multiple irregular polygons arranged along the upper surface of the transparent substrate. The spacing value of each of the plurality of irregular polygons is included within a preset range, wherein the spacing value refers to the maximum value among the distance values ​​between the vertices of the irregular polygons, and The spacing values ​​of the corresponding adjacent irregular polygons are different from each other, where The irregular polygon has four or more vertices, and the directions of extension of the corresponding sides of the irregular polygon are different from each other. In the irregular polygon, the distance values ​​between vertices are different from each other. In the irregular polygon, the angles formed by the adjacent sides around each vertex are different from each other, wherein The spacing value of each of the plurality of irregular polygons is determined such that the light transmittance of the mesh pattern is 80% or greater than 80%, and the sheet resistance of the mesh pattern is 10 ohms / cm² or less than 10 ohms / cm².

2. The screen device according to claim 1, wherein The spacing values ​​of the plurality of irregular polygons are distributed within the range of 70% to 130% of the reference spacing value, wherein The reference spacing value is selected from any value between 100 micrometers and 500 micrometers.

3. The screen device according to claim 1, wherein The spacing values ​​of the plurality of irregular polygons are distributed in the range of 245 micrometers to 455 micrometers, 280 micrometers to 520 micrometers, 315 micrometers to 585 micrometers, or 350 micrometers to 650 micrometers.

4. The screen device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The recessed grooves are formed on the upper surface of the transparent substrate in the shape of the mesh pattern, and The mesh pattern is formed along the groove.

5. The screen device according to claim 4, wherein The plurality of irregular polygons include a plurality of mesh lines, and Each of the width and depth of the mesh lines is in the range of 4 micrometers to 10 micrometers.

6. The screen device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The mesh pattern comprises multiple unit mesh blocks arranged in an array, and The irregular polygons that form the boundaries between the unit meshes at the outermost portion of each of the plurality of unit meshes have different shapes and sizes from one another.

7. The screen device according to claim 6, wherein The multiple unit mesh blocks have the same size.

8. The screen device according to claim 7, wherein The plurality of unit mesh blocks have a size of 5 cm × 5 cm or less than 5 cm × 5 cm and contain rectangular shapes.

9. The screen device according to claim 6, wherein In the mesh pattern, multiple break lines are formed to separate and divide multiple channels, each of which is conductive to form the multiple channels.

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