Information Display Terminal With Air-Gap-Free Curved Touch Panel

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional displays with touch panels struggle to adhere to curved or flat surface members without an air gap, leading to poor touch detection and distorted images.

Innovation Solution

Employing flexible, physically independent touch panels and displays that can be adhered to the surface members using adhesives, cushions, or a combination of cushions and pressing members to eliminate air gaps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a flat display with touch panel is mechanically adhered to a curved surface member, then the display can be mounted on the surface member, but air gaps remain between the display and surface member causing poor touch detection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch detection accuracyVSAvoidadhesion difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature to the display surface by replacing the rigid flat display with a flexible display that can be bent to match the curved surface member. This eliminates air gaps between the display and surface member, enabling accurate touch detection while maintaining ease of manufacture through flexible material properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses flexible displays and flexible touch panels as thin film structures that can conform to curved surfaces. These flexible components eliminate the air gap problem inherent in rigid flat displays while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through adhesive bonding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Reliability

If a rigid flat touch panel is forced to adhere to a curved surface member, then mounting is achieved, but the touch panel cannot detect touch operations accurately due to air gaps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch operation detectionVSAvoidsurface conformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the rigid flat touch panel into a flexible touch panel that can be bent to conform to the curved surface member. This shape adaptation eliminates air gaps and enables accurate touch detection across the curved surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state of the touch panel from rigid to flexible, allowing it to adapt its shape to match the curved surface member. This parameter change enables the touch panel to maintain intimate contact with the surface for accurate touch detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If a flat display is adhered to a curved surface member, then the display can be mounted, but the display surface does not conform to the curved surface causing image distortion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface conformityVSAvoidadhesion structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature to the display surface by using flexible displays that can be bent to match the curved surface member. This achieves precise surface conformity without complex adhesion structures, as the flexibility of the display itself enables conformal mounting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses flexible displays as thin film structures that naturally conform to curved surfaces through their inherent flexibility. This simplifies the adhesion structure while achieving high manufacturing precision in surface conformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentEP3789990B1Information display terminal
Publication Date: 2025.07.23 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
  • EP3789990B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3789990B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3789990B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

An information display terminal (101) includes a surface member (102), a touch panel (104), and an information terminal body (109). The surface member is to be fixed to a structure (108). The touch panel (104) is configured to be curved and has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other. The first surface is adhered to the surface member (102). The information terminal body (109) is to be attached to the structure and is configured to receive an input from the touch panel. The second surface of the touch panel is apart from the information terminal body. The information terminal body is configured to be removable from the structure.