Glass component, method for manufacturing the same, and input device

Abstract

The present invention provides a glass component that offers superior writing comfort and reduces writing noise when an input medium is brought into contact with and moved during input operations. [Solution] A glass member 1 having irregularities 2 on at least a part of its surface 1a, wherein in a 96 μm × 72 μm region on the surface 1a having the irregularities 2, when the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is 25 μm and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is 0.25 μm, the ratio of the height Spk of the protruding peaks Spk on the irregularities 2 to the level difference Sk of the core (Spk / Sk) is 0.20 or more and 0.35 or less.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a glass member having irregularities on at least a portion of its surface, a method for manufacturing the glass member, and an input device using the glass member. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, input devices are known that use an input medium such as an input pen to input characters, shapes, and other data onto a display device that shows images. The transparent cover member placed on the front side of such an input device is made of a material such as glass. Various input operations can be performed in the input device by bringing the input medium into contact with and moving it against the surface of this cover member.

[0003] When glass is used as a cover component for an input device, the surface of the glass is generally smooth with few irregularities. As a result, when an input medium is brought into contact with the surface of the glass and moved, the tip of the input medium (for example, the tip of an input pen) may slip, resulting in a poor writing experience. Therefore, the development of a cover component that provides a good writing experience when the input medium is in contact with and moved is being considered.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an input device cover member that is positioned on the front side of the display device in an input device. Patent Document 1 describes that when the filter cutoff value is set to a certain value, the maximum height width of the irregularities on the main surface of the cover member is 3 to 1000 nm and the spacing width of the irregularities is 50 to 1000 μm, and when the filter cutoff value is set to another certain value, the three-dimensional arithmetic mean roughness Sa of the irregularities is 1 to 50 nm and the spacing width of the irregularities is 0.01 to 10 μm. Patent Document 1 also describes that by using such a cover member, the writing feel with input media such as an input pen can be improved. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7099468 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Incidentally, if the surface of the cover member positioned on the front side of the input device has irregularities, an unpleasant writing sound may be produced due to resonance with the input medium, such as an input pen, when it is brought into contact with and moved. Therefore, there is a need for a cover member that provides a superior writing feel while also reducing writing noise when the input medium is brought into contact with and moved.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a glass member, a method for manufacturing the glass member, and an input device using the glass member, which provide excellent writing comfort and reduce writing noise when an input medium is brought into contact with and moved during input operations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The following describes a glass member that solves the above problems, a method for manufacturing the glass member, and various embodiments of an input device using the glass member.

[0009] A glass member according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is a glass member having irregularities on at least a part of its surface, characterized in that, in a 96 μm × 72 μm region on the irregular surface, when the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is 25 μm and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is 0.25 μm, the ratio of the height Spk of the protruding peaks in the irregularities to the level difference Sk of the core (Spk / Sk) is 0.20 or more and 0.35 or less.

[0010] A glass member according to embodiment 2 of the present invention is a glass member having irregularities on at least a part of its surface, wherein in a 96 μm × 72 μm region on the irregular surface, when the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is 25 μm and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is 0.25 μm, the peak density Spd of the irregularities is 2.00 × 10 6 / mm 2 The above is 4.50 x 10 6 / mm 2 It is characterized by the following:

[0011] In the glass member of embodiment 3, in embodiment 1 or embodiment 2, when the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is set to 25 μm and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is set to 0.25 μm in a 96 μm × 72 μm region on the surface having irregularities, it is preferable that the arithmetic mean height Sa of the irregularities is 4 nm or more and 500 nm or less.

[0012] In the glass member of Embodiment 4, in any one embodiment from Embodiments 1 to 3, when the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is set to three times the average distance between adjacent protrusions of the undulation component in the uneven surface, and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is set to 13.8 μm, it is preferable that the average distance between adjacent protrusions of the undulation component in the uneven surface is 50 μm or more and 3000 μm or less.

[0013] In the glass member of Embodiment 5, in any one embodiment from Embodiments 1 to 4, in a 5.7 mm × 4.2 mm area on the uneven surface, when the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is set to three times the average distance between adjacent convex portions of the undulation component in the unevenness, and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is set to 13.8 μm, it is preferable that the average difference in height between adjacent convex portions and concave portions of the undulation component in the unevenness is 5 nm or more and 5000 nm or less.

[0014] The manufacturing method of the glass member according to Aspect 6 of the present invention is the manufacturing method of the glass member of any one of Aspects 1 to 5, and includes a step of preparing a raw glass member, a step of performing a blasting treatment on the surface of the raw glass member, and a step of performing an etching treatment on the surface of the raw glass member after the blasting treatment.

[0015] In the manufacturing method of the glass member of Aspect 7, in Aspect 6, it is preferable not to perform a blasting treatment after performing an etching treatment on the surface of the raw glass member.

[0016] In the manufacturing method of the glass member of Aspect 8, in the step of performing the etching treatment of Aspect 6 or Aspect 7, when using an etching solution containing hydrofluoric acid and setting the treatment temperature to 5°C to 50°C, on the surface of the raw glass member after the blasting treatment, it is preferable to perform an etching treatment under the condition that the product of the hydrofluoric acid concentration (mass%) in the etching solution and the treatment time (seconds) is 1 or more and 1000 or less.

[0017] The input device according to Aspect 9 of the present invention includes a cover member made of a glass member of any one of Aspects 1 to 5, a display device that displays an image, and a detection circuit that detects an input position.

[0018] In the input device of Aspect 10, in Aspect 9, it is preferable to further include an input pen that performs an input operation on the input device by moving while contacting the surface of the glass member.

Effects of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a glass member, a manufacturing method of the glass member, and an input device using the glass member, which are excellent in writing feel and can reduce writing noise when performing an input operation by contacting and moving an input medium.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1]Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a glass member according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a glass member according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a glass member according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an input device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] Preferred embodiments are described below. However, the following embodiments are merely illustrative, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In addition, in each drawing, components having substantially the same function may be referred to by the same reference numerals.

[0022] [Glass components] (First embodiment) Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a glass member according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] The glass member 1 has a rectangular flat plate shape. A rectangular flat plate shape refers to a flat plate shape in which the shape of the main surface is rectangular. The shape of the glass member 1 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a flat plate shape in which the shape of the main surface is circular or polygonal, a flat plate shape that is curved overall, a spherical lens shape, an aspherical lens shape, etc.

[0024] A transparent glass plate can be used as the glass component 1. The material of the glass component 1 is not particularly limited and includes quartz glass, soda-lime glass, alkali-free glass, aluminosilicate glass, borosilicate glass, phosphate glass, fluoride glass, or chalcogenide glass. These materials may be used individually or in combination.

[0025] The thickness of the glass component 1 is not particularly limited and can be, for example, 50 μm or more and 100 mm or less.

[0026] The glass member 1 has an opposing first main surface 1a and a second main surface 1b. The first main surface 1a and the second main surface 1b are the surfaces of the glass member 1. In this embodiment, the entire surface of the first main surface 1a of the glass member 1 is provided with irregularities 2. On the other hand, the second main surface 1b of the glass member 1 is not provided with irregularities 2.

[0027] The irregularities 2 of the glass member 1 only need to be provided on at least a portion of the surface of the glass member 1. Preferably, the irregularities 2 of the glass member 1 are provided on 1% or more of the first main surface 1a of the glass member 1, more preferably on 30% or more, and even more preferably on 50% or more. The irregularities 2 of the glass member 1 may be provided on the entire surface of the first main surface 1a of the glass member 1. Furthermore, the irregularities 2 of the glass member 1 may be provided on the second main surface 1b of the glass member 1, or on both the first main surface 1a and the second main surface 1b of the glass member 1.

[0028] In the first invention of this application, in a 96 μm × 72 μm region on the surface of the glass member 1 having irregularities 2, when the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is set to 25 μm and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is set to 0.25 μm, the ratio of the height Spk of the protruding peaks in the irregularities 2 to the level difference Sk of the core (Spk / Sk) is 0.20 or more and 0.35 or less. As described above, in this embodiment, the surface of the glass member 1 having irregularities 2 is the first main surface 1a.

[0029] The "core level difference Sk" and "protruding peak height Spk" are parameters defined by ISO 25178. The equivalent straight line is a straight line obtained by the least squares method at the position where the slope of the secant line of the load curve, which is drawn along the load curve with a load area ratio difference of 40% from 0% load area ratio, is moved from 0% load area ratio to the position where the slope of the secant line is gentlest. The "core" is the part of the equivalent straight line that is included in the height range from 0% to 100% load area ratio. The "core level difference Sk" is the level difference between the upper and lower limits of the core. The "protruding peak height Spk" is the average height of the protruding peaks above the core.

[0030] In the second invention of this application, in a 96 μm × 72 μm region on the surface of the glass member 1 having irregularities 2, when the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is set to 25 μm and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is set to 0.25 μm, the peak density Spd on the irregularities 2 is 2.00 × 10 6 / mm 2 The above is 4.50 x 10 6 / mm 2 The following applies. As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the surface of the glass member 1 having irregularities 2 is the first main surface 1a.

[0031] The "peak density Spd" is a parameter defined by ISO 25178. It represents the number of peaks per unit area. A high peak density Spd indicates a large number of contact points with other objects.

[0032] Since the glass member 1 of this embodiment has the above configuration, when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with it and moved to perform an input operation, it provides a superior writing feel and reduces writing noise.

[0033] More specifically, in the first invention, by setting the ratio (Spk / Sk) of the height of the protruding peaks Spk in the uneven surface 2 of the glass member 1 to the level difference Sk of the core part to 0.20 or more, when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with the surface of the glass member 1 and moved while performing an input operation, the grip of the input medium on the peaks of the uneven surface 2 can be made appropriately strong, thereby suppressing the slippage of the input medium. This improves the writing feel of the input medium on the glass member 1.

[0034] Furthermore, in the first invention, by setting the ratio (Spk / Sk) of the height of the protruding peaks Spk in the unevenness 2 of the glass member 1 to the level difference Sk of the core (Spk / Sk), it is possible to moderately weaken the snagging of the input medium on the peaks of the unevenness 2 when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with the surface of the glass member 1 and moved to perform an input operation. This suppresses the generation of writing noise that occurs when the input medium gets caught on the peaks of the unevenness 2.

[0035] Therefore, according to the first invention, by setting the above ratio (Spk / Sk) of the irregularities 2 of the glass member 1 to 0.20 or more and 0.35 or less, when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with the surface of the glass member 1 and moved, the writing feel is improved and the writing noise is reduced.

[0036] In the first invention, the above ratio (Spk / Sk) of the irregularities 2 of the glass member 1 is preferably 0.21 or more, more preferably 0.23 or more, preferably 0.34 or less, and more preferably 0.31 or less. In this case, when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with the surface of the glass member 1 and moved, and an input operation is performed, the writing feel can be further improved and the writing noise can be further reduced.

[0037] The height Spk of the protruding peak portion in the concavo-convex portion 2 of the glass member 1 is preferably 10.0 nm or more, more preferably 30.0 nm or more, still more preferably 50.0 nm or more, and preferably 150.0 nm or less, more preferably 100.0 nm or less, still more preferably 75.0 nm or less.

[0038] The level difference Sk of the core portion in the concavo-convex portion 2 of the glass member 1 is preferably 20.0 nm or more, more preferably 50.0 nm or more, still more preferably 100.0 nm or more, and preferably 400.0 nm or less, more preferably 350.0 nm or less, still more preferably 300.0 nm or less.

[0039] In the second invention, by setting the peak density Spd of the peaks in the concavo-convex portion 2 of the glass member 1 to be 2.00×10 6 / mm 2 or more, when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with and moved on the surface of the glass member 1 to perform an input operation, the hooking of the input medium on the peak portions of the concavo-convex portion 2 can be moderately increased, and the slipping of the input medium can be suppressed. Thereby, the writing feel of the input medium with respect to the glass member 1 can be improved. Also, since the interval between the convex portions in the concavo-convex portion 2 of the glass member 1 can be made small, it is possible to make it difficult to generate sparkle (glitter).

[0040] Also, in the second invention, by setting the peak density Spd of the peaks in the concavo-convex portion 2 of the glass member 1 to be 4.50×10 6 / mm 2 or less, when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with and moved on the surface of the glass member 1 to perform an input operation, the hooking of the input medium on the peak portions of the concavo-convex portion 2 can be moderately reduced, so that the generation of writing noise that occurs when the input medium is hooked on the peak portions of the concavo-convex portion 2 can be suppressed.

[0041] Therefore, according to the second invention, the peak density Spd of the peaks in the concavo-convex portion 2 of the glass member 1 is 2.00×10 6 / mm 2 or more and 4.50×10 6 / mm2 By doing the following, when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with the surface of the glass member 1 and moved while performing an input operation, it is possible to achieve a superior writing feel and reduce writing noise.

[0042] In the second invention, the peak density Spd of the uneven surface 2 of the glass member 1 is preferably 2.40 × 10 6 / mm 2 More preferably 2.80 × 10 6 / mm 2 The above, preferably 4.40 × 10 6 / mm 2 More preferably 4.30 × 10 6 / mm 2 The following is the case. In this case, when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with the surface of the glass member 1 and moved while performing an input operation, the writing feel can be further improved and the writing noise can be further reduced.

[0043] Hereinafter, the first invention and the second invention may be collectively referred to as the present invention. The first invention and the second invention may be implemented individually or in combination.

[0044] In the present invention, the arithmetic mean height Sa of the irregularities 2 of the glass member 1 is preferably 4 nm or more, more preferably 7 nm or more, even more preferably 10 nm or more, preferably 500 nm or less, more preferably 400 nm or less, and even more preferably 300 nm or less.

[0045] If the arithmetic mean height Sa of the irregularities 2 on the glass member 1 is greater than or equal to the lower limit, when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with the surface of the glass member 1 and moved while performing an input operation, the slippage of the input medium can be suppressed, and the writing feel of the input medium on the glass member 1 can be further improved. In addition, the anti-glare properties of the glass member 1 can be further improved. If the arithmetic mean height Sa of the irregularities 2 on the glass member 1 is less than or equal to the upper limit, the haze of the glass member 1 can be further reduced.

[0046] The "arithmetic mean height Sa" is a parameter defined by ISO 25178, and is a parameter that extends the measured cross-sectional curve, which shows the cross-sectional shape of the irregularities, to a surface. Specifically, the "arithmetic mean height Sa" can be determined from the average of the absolute values ​​of the height Zn from the average surface of the irregularities in a given three-dimensional region (Sa = (Σ|Zn|) / n). The "arithmetic mean height Sa" can be measured in a 96 μm × 72 μm region on the surface of the glass member 1 having irregularities 2, with a cutoff value of 25 μm for the high-pass filter λc and a cutoff value of 0.25 μm for the low-pass filter λs.

[0047] In the present invention, the average spacing between adjacent protrusions of the undulation component in the unevenness 2 of the glass member 1 is preferably 50 μm or more, more preferably 100 μm or more, even more preferably 150 μm or more, preferably 3000 μm or less, more preferably 2000 μm or less, and even more preferably 1500 μm or less.

[0048] When the average distance between adjacent protrusions of the undulation component in the uneven surface 2 of the glass component 1 is within the above range, the friction can be appropriately adjusted when the input medium is moved while in contact with it and input operations are performed, thereby further improving the writing feel and further reducing writing noise. Specifically, when the tip diameter of the input medium is larger than the average distance between adjacent protrusions of the undulation component, the contact area between the tip of the input medium and the undulation component can be reduced to adjust the friction and also reduce writing noise. Also, when the tip diameter of the input medium is smaller than the average distance between adjacent protrusions of the undulation component, the friction can be adjusted by catching on the undulation component.

[0049] In the present invention, the average difference in height between adjacent convex and concave portions of the undulation component in the uneven surface 2 of the glass member 1 is preferably 5 nm or more, more preferably 7 nm or more, even more preferably 10 nm or more, preferably 5000 nm or less, more preferably 2000 nm or less, and even more preferably 1000 nm or less.

[0050] If the average height difference between adjacent convex and concave portions of the undulation component in the uneven surface 2 of the glass component 1 is within the above range, friction can be adjusted when the input medium is brought into contact with and moved to perform input operations, thereby further improving the writing feel and further reducing writing noise.

[0051] The "average spacing between adjacent protrusions of the undulation component" and the "average height difference between adjacent protrusions and recesses of the undulation component" can be measured in a 5.7 mm × 4.2 mm area on the surface of the glass member 1 having irregularities 2, by setting the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc to three times the average spacing between adjacent protrusions of the undulation component in the irregularities 2, and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs to 13.8 μm.

[0052] The "average spacing between adjacent convex parts of a wave component" can be obtained from the average value of the distance measured from the peak of one peak (convex part) to the peak of the nearest peak (convex part). Similarly, the "average height difference between adjacent convex and concave parts of a wave component" can be obtained from the average value of the height difference measured between the peak of one peak (convex part) and the bottom of the nearest valley (concave part) to that peak (convex part).

[0053] In the present invention, the haze of the glass member 1 can be arbitrarily selected depending on the desired properties and purpose. For example, if the transparency of the glass member 1 is to be more reliably ensured, the haze of the glass member 1 is preferably less than 50%, more preferably 30% or less, even more preferably 20% or less, even more preferably 15% or less, even more preferably 10% or less, even more preferably 5% or less, even more preferably 3% or less, and even more preferably 1% or less in the wavelength range of 380nm to 780nm. On the other hand, if scattering properties or anti-glare properties are to be imparted to the glass member 1, or if the specular reflectance of the glass member 1 is to be suppressed, the haze of the glass member 1 is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 15% or more, even more preferably 20% or more, even more preferably 25% or more, even more preferably 30% or more, even more preferably 40% or more, even more preferably 50% or more, and even more preferably 60% or more.

[0054] (Second embodiment) Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a glass member according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] As shown in Figure 2, the glass member 21 has irregularities 22 on a portion of its first main surface 21a. Furthermore, the first main surface 21a of the glass member 21 has an unprocessed portion 23. Specifically, the unprocessed portion 23 is the part that has not been processed to provide the irregularities 22. In this embodiment, the entire second main surface 21b of the glass member 21 is also an unprocessed portion 23. However, in this invention, irregularities 22 may also be provided on the second main surface 21b of the glass member 21. Other aspects are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0056] The glass member 21 of the second embodiment also has the configuration of the first and second inventions of this application, so when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with and moved to perform an input operation, it provides a superior writing feel and reduces writing noise.

[0057] (Third embodiment) Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a glass member according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] As shown in Figure 3, the glass member 31 comprises a glass member body 33 and an anti-fouling film 34. The anti-fouling film 34 is provided on the first main surface 33a of the glass member body 33.

[0059] In this embodiment, the main surface 31a of the glass member 31 (the main surface of the antifouling film 34) has irregularities 32 similar to those of the first main surface 1a of the glass member 1 in the first embodiment. When forming the antifouling film 34 on the first main surface 33a of the glass member body 33, the irregularities should be formed on the first main surface 33a of the glass member body 33 in advance so that the irregularities 32 of the antifouling film 34 after formation have the same irregularities as those of the glass member 1 in the first embodiment. Alternatively, the irregularities 32 may be formed after the antifouling film 34 has been formed. In this case, it is preferable to form the antifouling film 34 with a thickness greater than the irregularities to be formed.

[0060] The antifouling film 34 is a film that prevents fingerprint adhesion and provides water-repellent and oil-repellent properties. The antifouling film 34 preferably contains a polymer containing silicon in its main chain. A polymer containing silicon in its main chain can be synthesized, for example, by dehydration condensation of silanol. As a polymer containing silicon in its main chain, for example, a polymer having -Si-O-Si- units in its main chain and functional groups such as alkyl groups, phenyl groups, or hydrogen in its side chains can be used. Furthermore, the antifouling film 34 preferably contains a fluorine-containing polymer containing silicon in its main chain. As a fluorine-containing polymer, for example, a polymer having -Si-O-Si- units in its main chain and functional groups containing fluorine in its side chains can be used.

[0061] The thickness of the antifouling film 34 is not particularly limited, as long as it does not hinder the effects of the present invention, and can be, for example, 0.1 nm or more and 20 nm or less.

[0062] The anti-fouling film 34 may be provided on the second main surface 33b of the glass member body 33, or it may be provided on both the first main surface 33a and the second main surface 33b of the glass member body 33.

[0063] At least one of the first main surface 33a and the second main surface 33b of the glass member body 33 may have another film, such as an optical functional film, applied to it, or it may have a decorative film or decorative coating. Furthermore, an anti-fouling film 34 may be provided on top of the other film, etc.

[0064] As the optical functional film, for example, an anti-reflective film or a reflective film can be used. As the anti-reflective film, for example, a low refractive index film with a refractive index lower than that of the glass member body 33 can be used. Alternatively, as the anti-reflective film, a dielectric multilayer film in which a low refractive index film with a relatively low refractive index and a high refractive index film with a relatively high refractive index are alternately laminated may be used. As the reflective film, for example, a metal film can be used. Alternatively, the reflective film may be a dielectric multilayer film in which a low refractive index film with a relatively low refractive index and a high refractive index film with a relatively high refractive index are alternately laminated. The anti-reflective film and the reflective film can be formed by sputtering or CVD. The total thickness of the optical functional film is not particularly limited as long as it does not hinder the effects of the present invention, and can be, for example, 10 nm or more and 2000 nm or less.

[0065] Examples of decorative films and coatings include resins such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylic, urethane, and fluororesins, as well as metal foils or laminates thereof. The thickness of the decorative film or coating is not particularly limited as long as it does not hinder the effects of the present invention, and can be, for example, 100 nm or more and 100 μm or less.

[0066] The glass member 31 of the third embodiment also has the configuration of the first and second inventions of this application, so when an input medium such as an input pen is brought into contact with and moved to perform an input operation, it provides a superior writing feel and reduces writing noise.

[0067] [Method for manufacturing glass components] The following describes a method for manufacturing the glass member 1 of the first embodiment as an example of the manufacturing method of the glass member of the present invention. The method for forming the unevenness of the glass member 1 described below can also be applied to the method for forming the unevenness of glass members such as the glass members 21 and 31 of the second and third embodiments.

[0068] The irregularities 2 on the first main surface 1a of the glass member 1 can be formed by blasting the surface of the original glass member and then etching the blasted surface of the original glass member. By etching the blasted surface of the original glass member in this way, the ratio (Spk / Sk) of the irregularities 2 of the resulting glass member 1 can be adjusted to the preferred range of the first invention. Furthermore, the peak density Spd of the irregularities 2 of the resulting glass member 1 can be adjusted to the preferred range of the second invention. In addition, from the viewpoint of adjusting the ratio (Spk / Sk) and the peak density Spd of the irregularities 2 of the resulting glass member 1 to the preferred range, it is preferable not to blast the surface of the original glass member again after etching.

[0069] Examples of blasting treatments include wet blasting and sandblasting, with wet blasting being preferred. Wet blasting is a process in which abrasive particles, composed of solid particles such as alumina, are uniformly mixed with a liquid such as water to form a slurry, which is then sprayed at high speed from a spray nozzle onto a workpiece made of a glass material using compressed air, thereby forming fine irregularities on the workpiece.

[0070] In wet blasting, when a high-speed ejected slurry collides with a workpiece, the abrasive particles in the slurry scrape, strike, and rub against the surface of the workpiece, creating fine irregularities on the workpiece surface.

[0071] In this case, the abrasive particles sprayed onto the workpiece, as well as the fragments of the workpiece removed by the abrasive particles, are washed away by the liquid sprayed onto the workpiece, resulting in fewer particles remaining on the workpiece.

[0072] In wet blasting, when slurry is sprayed onto the workpiece, the liquid carries the abrasive particles to the workpiece. This makes it easier to use finer abrasive particles compared to dry sandblasting, and also reduces the impact when the abrasive particles collide with the workpiece, enabling precise machining.

[0073] In wet blasting, the average particle size of the abrasive grains can be, for example, 0.5 μm or more and 20.0 μm or less. The concentration of abrasive grains in the slurry can be, for example, 0.1% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less. The air pressure when spraying the slurry containing abrasive grains can be, for example, 0.11 MPa or more and 0.70 MPa or less. The scanning interval of the nozzle can be, for example, 50 μm or more and 3000 μm or less. The scanning speed of the nozzle can be, for example, 0.1 mm / s or more and 200 mm / s or less. The average particle size of the abrasive grains can be measured, for example, by the electrical resistance method.

[0074] Furthermore, by adjusting the average particle size of the abrasive grains in the wet blasting process, the ratio (Spk / Sk) and the peak density Spd of the resulting glass member 1 can be adjusted to the above-mentioned preferred range. Specifically, by increasing the average particle size of the abrasive grains, the ratio (Spk / Sk) can be decreased, and the peak density Spd can be increased.

[0075] Etching is a chemical etching process that creates uneven surfaces (recesses 2) by immersing the original glass component in an etching solution such as hydrofluoric acid.

[0076] In the etching process, the etching solution preferably contains hydrofluoric acid. Alternatively, the etching solution may be a mixed solution containing hydrofluoric acid and ammonium fluoride, a mixed solution containing hydrofluoric acid and potassium hydrogen fluoride, or a mixed solution containing hydrofluoric acid and sodium hydrogen fluoride. The etching solution may also contain other acids such as sulfuric acid, nitric acid, or hydrochloric acid, or chelating agents such as citric acid or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.

[0077] The hydrofluoric acid content in the etching solution is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, preferably 10% by mass or less, and more preferably 5% by mass or less. The water content in the etching solution can be, for example, 90% by mass or more and 99.99% by mass or less.

[0078] The etching temperature is preferably 5°C or higher, more preferably 10°C or higher, even more preferably 20°C or higher, and can be preferably 50°C or lower, more preferably 40°C or lower, and even more preferably 35°C or lower. The etching time is preferably 1 second or more, more preferably 10 seconds or more, and can be preferably 30 minutes or less, and more preferably 5 minutes or less.

[0079] The ratio (Spk / Sk) and peak density Spd of the resulting glass member 1 can be adjusted to the above-mentioned preferred range by adjusting the etching solution composition, processing time, processing temperature, etc. Specifically, it is preferable that the etching solution contains hydrofluoric acid, and that the acid content in the etching solution is low. Furthermore, it is preferable that the etching processing time is short and the etching processing temperature is low.

[0080] In particular, when an etching solution containing hydrofluoric acid is used in the etching process and the processing temperature is 5°C to 50°C, the product of the hydrofluoric acid concentration (mass%) in the etching solution and the processing time (seconds) is preferably 1 or more, more preferably 3 or more, even more preferably 7 or more, preferably 1000 or less, more preferably 300 or less, and even more preferably 100 or less. By setting the etching conditions in this way, the ratio (Spk / Sk) and the peak density Spd of the resulting glass member 1 can be more reliably adjusted to a suitable range.

[0081] [Input device] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an input device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0082] As shown in Figure 4, the input device 41 comprises a cover member 42, a display device 43, a detection circuit 44, and an input pen 45.

[0083] The cover member 42 is positioned on the front side of the display device 43. In this embodiment, the cover member 42 is made of the glass member 1 of the first embodiment described above. The surface of the cover member 42 that comes into contact with the input pen 45, etc., is the first main surface 1a of the glass member 1, and is a surface on which the irregularities 2 are provided.

[0084] The display device 43 is a device that displays images. The display device 43 is equipped with display elements. The "front side" of the display device 43 refers to the side on which the image is displayed, and the "rear side" of the display device 43 refers to the side opposite to the side on which the image is displayed.

[0085] The detection circuit 44 is located on the rear side of the display device 43. The detection circuit 44 is a detection circuit that detects input to the input device 41. In this embodiment, the detection circuit 44 is a digitizer circuit.

[0086] The input pen 45 is an input medium having a shape that mimics a writing instrument such as a pencil or ballpoint pen. In the input pen 45, the pen tip that comes into contact with the cover member 42 can be made of elastomer, a synthetic resin material such as polyacetal resin, or felt.

[0087] In the input device 41, characters and figures can be input by moving the input pen 45 while keeping it in contact with the surface of the cover member 42. Input to the input device 41 can also be performed using an input medium other than the input pen 45. The input medium may be, for example, a human finger. In this case, characters and figures can be input by moving the finger while keeping it in contact with the surface of the cover member 42.

[0088] An example of an input device 41 is a tablet terminal. A tablet terminal is an input display device that has both a display function and an input function. Examples of tablet terminals include tablet PCs, mobile PCs, smartphones, or game consoles.

[0089] In the input device 41, a cover member 42 made of glass material 1 is provided on the front side, so when an input medium such as an input pen 45 is brought into contact with and moved to perform an input operation, it is possible to achieve a superior writing feel and reduce writing noise.

[0090] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on specific examples. The present invention is not limited in any way to the following examples, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications without changing its essence.

[0091] (Examples 1-15) In Examples 1 to 15, a raw glass component (aluminosilicate glass, manufactured by Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd., product name "T2X-1") with a rectangular plate shape and a thickness of 1.1 mm was prepared by the overflow method.

[0092] Next, the entire main surface on one side of the prepared aluminosilicate glass (hereinafter also simply referred to as glass) was subjected to wet blasting. Then, the entire main surface on one side of the wet-blasted glass was subjected to chemical etching to produce a glass component.

[0093] In the wet blasting process, a slurry was prepared by uniformly stirring 3% to 6% by mass of abrasive grains made of alumina with an average particle size of 2.0 μm or 3.0 μm with 94% to 97% by mass of water. Next, a wet blasting process was performed on the entire main surface of one side of the glass, by scanning a nozzle with a nozzle opening of 1 mm × 1 mm parallel to the surface at a scanning speed of 1 mm / s to 40 mm / s, moving it at a scanning interval of 350 μm to 1250 μm, and spraying the prepared slurry from the nozzle with a processing air pressure of 0.30 MPa to 0.34 MPa.

[0094] In the chemical etching process, an etching solution prepared with 0.2% to 2% by mass of hydrogen fluoride, 0% to 30% by mass of sulfuric acid, and 68% to 99.8% by mass of water was used to immerse the glass in the solution at a processing temperature (liquid temperature) of 30°C for a processing time of 5 to 100 seconds, thereby performing the chemical etching process.

[0095] (Comparative Example 1) In Comparative Example 1, the same aluminosilicate glass as in Example 1 was used without any of the treatments applied.

[0096] (Comparative Example 2) In Comparative Example 2, a glass component was fabricated by applying only wet blasting treatment to the entire main surface on one side of the glass, using the same method as in Example 1. Therefore, no chemical etching treatment was performed in Comparative Example 2.

[0097] (Comparative Example 3) In Comparative Example 3, a glass component was fabricated by applying only wet blasting treatment to the entire main surface on one side of the glass, using the same method as in Example 6. Therefore, no chemical etching treatment was performed in Comparative Example 3.

[0098] (Comparative Example 4) In Comparative Example 4, a glass component was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that wet blasting and chemical etching treatments were performed under the conditions shown below.

[0099] In the wet blasting process, a slurry was prepared by uniformly stirring 10% by mass of alumina abrasive grains with an average particle size of 6.9 μm and 90% by mass of water. Next, a wet blasting process was performed on the entire main surface of one side of the glass, by scanning a nozzle with a nozzle opening of 1 mm × 320 mm in parallel while moving it at a scanning speed of 5 mm / s, and spraying the prepared slurry from the nozzle with a processing air pressure of 0.15 MPa.

[0100] In the chemical etching process, an etching solution prepared with 2% by mass of hydrofluoric acid, 35% by mass of sulfuric acid, and 63% by mass of water was used to immerse the glass in the solution at a processing temperature (liquid temperature) of 30°C for a processing time of 1800 seconds, thereby performing the chemical etching process.

[0101] (Comparative Example 5) In Comparative Example 5, a glass component was manufactured in the same manner as in Example 1, except that wet blasting and chemical etching treatments were performed under the conditions shown below.

[0102] In the wet blasting process, a slurry was prepared by uniformly stirring 10% by mass of alumina abrasive grains with an average particle size of 6.9 μm and 90% by mass of water. Next, a wet blasting process was performed on the entire main surface of one side of the glass, by scanning parallel to the surface at a scanning speed of 5 mm / s while moving a nozzle with a nozzle opening of 1 mm × 320 mm, and spraying the prepared slurry from the nozzle at a processing air pressure of 0.15 MPa.

[0103] In the chemical etching process, the glass was immersed in an etching solution prepared with 2% by mass of hydrofluoric acid, 30% by mass of sulfuric acid, and 68% by mass of water, at a processing temperature (liquid temperature) of 30°C and for a processing time of 1200 seconds, and chemical etching was performed.

[0104] (evaluation) [Surface shape measurement] Next, the surface roughness parameters and waviness component parameters of the roughness curve elements were measured on one main surface of the glass members of Examples 1-15 and Comparative Examples 1-5. The surface roughness parameters of the roughness curve elements were measured for each main surface where irregularities were formed. These measurements were performed using a laser microscope.

[0105] Furthermore, in order to determine the height Spk of the protruding peaks, the level difference Sk of the core, the peak density Spd, and the arithmetic mean height Sa on one main surface of the glass member, a laser microscope (Keyence Corporation, model number "VK-X250") was used, and measurements were performed in accordance with JIS B 0601:2013 and ISO 25178. The measurement conditions were as follows: a 150x objective lens was used, and the number of acquired data points was 2048 × 1536 for a measurement area of ​​96 μm × 72 μm. After removing the plane slope using the least squares method, height noise was removed by setting the height cut-off level threshold to 50, and the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc was set to 25 μm and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs was set to 0.25 μm before analysis.

[0106] Furthermore, the white light interference microscope used to measure the undulation component was a white light interference microscope (Zygo, model number "New View 7300"). The measurement conditions were as follows: a 2.5x objective lens and a 0.5x zoom lens were used, and the measurement was performed 10 times for a measurement area of ​​5.7 mm × 4.2 mm. After removing the plane's inclination using the least squares method, the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc was set to three times the average distance between adjacent convex parts of the undulation component, and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs was set to 13.8 μm, and the analysis was performed.

[0107] The average spacing between adjacent convex parts of the undulation component was determined by measuring the distance from the peak of one peak (convex part) to the peak of the nearest peak (convex part). The average height difference between adjacent convex and concave parts of the undulation component was determined by measuring the average height difference between the peak of one peak (convex part) and the bottom of the nearest valley (concave part) to that peak (convex part).

[0108] [Hayes's evaluation] Haze was measured using a haze meter (manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd., model number "NDH 8000SP") in accordance with JIS K 7136.

[0109] [Evaluation of Glitter] To evaluate glare, a glass sample was placed in a 242ppi OLED display showing RGB (0, 255, 0) colors, with the immersion liquid in between. The presence of glare was visually checked, and the following evaluation criteria were used.

[0110] <Evaluation Criteria> ○...This causes glare. ×... Does not produce glare

[0111] [Evaluation of grip] The grip was evaluated by using an electronic pen (Wacom, model number "Pro Pen 2", standard nib) to write on the surface of a glass material, and the grip (and slipperiness) was assessed according to the following evaluation criteria.

[0112] <Evaluation Criteria> 1...Too many snags 2... Get caught 3...It's moderately sticky. 4... slip 5...Too slippery

[0113] [Evaluation of written sound] The writing sound was evaluated using an electronic pen (Wacom, model number "Pro Pen 2", standard nib) to produce the sound (writing sound) generated when writing on the surface of a glass material, according to the following evaluation criteria. Furthermore, the writing sound when an anti-fouling film (Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., model number "KY-1908") was applied to the surface of the glass materials in Examples 1-15 was also evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria.

[0114] <Evaluation Criteria> 0... No writing sound 1. There is an occasional writing sound, but it is not noticeable. 2…There may be more writing noise than with "1", but it is not noticeable. 3…A writing sound is always produced.

[0115] The results are shown in Tables 1 to 4 below.

[0116] [Table 1]

[0117] [Table 2]

[0118] [Table 3]

[0119] [Table 4]

[0120] As shown in Tables 1 to 4, in Examples 1 to 15, the ratio of the height Spk of the protruding peak on one main surface of the glass member to the level difference Sk of the core (Spk / Sk) was 0.20 or more and 0.35 or less. Also, in Examples 1 to 15, the peak density Spd on one main surface of the glass member was 2.00 × 10⁻⁶ 6 / mm 2 The above is 4.50 x 10 6 / mm 2The results were as follows. As a result, in the glass members of Examples 1 to 15, the grip evaluation was in the range of "2" to "3", and the writing noise evaluation was in the range of "0" to "2". Therefore, it was confirmed that when the input medium is brought into contact with the glass member and moved to perform input operations, it is possible to achieve both a superior writing feel and reduced writing noise.

[0121] On the other hand, in Comparative Examples 4 and 5, the ratio of the height Spk of the protruding peak on one main surface of the glass member to the level difference Sk of the core (Spk / Sk) was less than 0.20, and the peak density Spd was 2.00 × 10⁻⁶. 6 / mm 2 It was less than 0.35. In comparative examples 1 to 3, the ratio of the height Spk of the protruding peak on one main surface of the glass member to the level difference Sk of the core (Spk / Sk) was greater than 0.35, and the peak density Spd was 4.50 × 10⁻⁶. 6 / mm 2 It was larger. As a result, the glass components of Comparative Examples 1-5 were not adequately evaluated for either their grip or the sound of writing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0122] 1, 21, 31… Glass components 1a, 21a, 33a... First main surface 1b, 21b, 33b... Second principal plane 2, 22, 32…Unevenness 23…Unprocessed part 31a…main surface 33…Glass component body 34… Anti-fouling coating 41…Input device 42... Cover component 43…Display device 44...Detection circuit 45…Input pen

Claims

1. A glass member having irregularities on at least a portion of its surface, A glass member wherein, in a 96 μm × 72 μm region on the surface having irregularities, when the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is 25 μm and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is 0.25 μm, the ratio of the height Spk of the protruding peaks in the irregularities to the level difference Sk of the core (Spk / Sk) is 0.20 or more and 0.35 or less.

2. A glass member having irregularities on at least a portion of its surface, In a 96 μm × 72 μm region on the surface having the aforementioned irregularities, when the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is set to 25 μm and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is set to 0.25 μm, the peak density Spd on the irregularities is 2.00 × 10 ６ / mm ２ The above is 4.50 x 10 ６ / mm ２ The following are the glass components.

3. The glass member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in a 96 μm × 72 μm region on the surface having irregularities, when the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is 25 μm and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is 0.25 μm, the arithmetic mean height Sa of the irregularities is 4 nm or more and 500 nm or less.

4. The glass member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in a 5.7 mm × 4.2 mm region on the surface having irregularities, the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is set to three times the average distance between adjacent protrusions of the undulation component in the irregularities, and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is set to 13.8 μm, and the average distance between adjacent protrusions of the undulation component in the irregularities is 50 μm or more and 3000 μm or less.

5. The glass member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in a 5.7 mm × 4.2 mm area on the surface having irregularities, the cutoff value of the high-pass filter λc is set to three times the average distance between adjacent convex portions of the undulation component in the irregularities, and the cutoff value of the low-pass filter λs is set to 13.8 μm, and the average difference in height between adjacent convex portions and concave portions of the undulation component in the irregularities is 5 nm or more and 5000 nm or less.

6. A method for manufacturing a glass member according to claim 1 or 2, The process of preparing the original glass components, A step of applying a blast treatment to the surface of the original glass component, A step of applying an etching treatment to the surface of the original glass member that has undergone the blast treatment, A method for manufacturing a glass component, comprising:

7. The method for manufacturing a glass member according to claim 6, wherein the surface of the original glass member is subjected to etching treatment and then no blast treatment is performed.

8. The method for manufacturing a glass member according to claim 6, wherein, in the step of performing the etching treatment, an etching solution containing hydrofluoric acid is used, and the treatment temperature is set to 5°C to 50°C, and the surface of the original glass member that has undergone the blast treatment is subjected to etching under conditions such that the product of the hydrofluoric acid concentration (mass%) in the etching solution and the treatment time (seconds) is 1 or more and 1000 or less.

9. A cover member made of the glass member described in claim 1 or 2, A display device that displays images, A detection circuit that detects the input position and An input device equipped with the following features.

10. The input device according to claim 9, further comprising an input pen that performs an input operation to the input device by moving it while in contact with the surface of the glass member.

Images