Conductive Resin Printing for Touch Panel Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch panels and switches require a time-consuming and costly etching process for manufacturing light-transmissive electrodes, increasing production costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The use of light transmissive and electrically conductive resin for forming belt-like lower and upper electrodes through a printing method, simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs, along with a domed movable contact unit and switch contacts for reliable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional etching process is used to form light-transmissive electrodes, then electrode precision and reliability are improved, but manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional etching process (mechanical/chemical removal method) with a printing process that directly deposits conductive resin material to form electrodes. This substitution eliminates the multi-step etching workflow including masking, etching, and cleaning, reducing manufacturing time while maintaining electrode reliability through precise material deposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of electrode formation from subtractive (etching away material) to additive (depositing conductive resin). This parameter change transforms the manufacturing process from time-consuming etching to efficient printing, achieving both time reduction and reliability maintenance through controlled material application.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional etching process is used to form light-transmissive electrodes, then electrode precision is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the complex etching process with a simpler printing process. The printing method directly forms electrodes by depositing conductive resin through printed circuit board technology, eliminating the need for masking films, etching chemicals, and multiple cleaning steps, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the unnecessary etching steps from the manufacturing process. By taking out the masking, etching, and cleaning operations and replacing them with a single printing operation, the manufacturing complexity is significantly reduced while the essential function of forming precise light-transmissive electrodes is preserved.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional etching process is used to form electrodes, then electrode quality is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the expensive etching process with a cost-effective printing process. The printing method uses conductive resin material that can be directly deposited onto the substrate, eliminating the costs associated with masking films, etching chemicals, and extensive cleaning procedures, thereby reducing production cost while maintaining electrode quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a printing-based approach that uses consumable conductive resin material instead of expensive and reusable etching equipment and chemicals. This approach reduces the overall production cost by using affordable printing technology and disposable material applications, achieving cost-effective electrode manufacturing without sacrificing quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the production of touch panels and switches at a lower cost with reliable operation, reducing the complexity of electrode formation and detection accuracy while maintaining effective illumination for user interface functionality.
Implementation Method 1
The use of light transmissive and electrically conductive resin for forming belt-like lower and upper electrodes through a printing method
Implementation Method 2
capacitive sensor touch panels
Data Source
AI summary
A touch panel includes multiple belt-like lower electrodes formed on a light transparent base sheet and multiple belt-like upper electrodes placed away from the lower electrodes with a predetermined distance therebetween and in a direction crossing with the lower electrodes at right angles. The lower and upper electrodes are made of light transmissive and electrically conductive resin, so that they can be formed in a simple way such as printing. The foregoing structure thus allows obtaining the touch panel manufactured in a simple way at a lower cost.