Flexible Touch Screen Panel With Metal Mesh Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch screen panels using transparent conductive materials like ITO are prone to cracking when flexible, leading to defective operations when curved or folded, and require complex processes that are costly and time-consuming, especially when integrating insulating layers and connecting units.
Innovation Solution
A flexible touch screen panel is designed with sensing electrodes made of opaque metal materials, such as Ag, Al, Cu, or Ni, arranged in a mesh pattern on a thin film substrate, and connecting units formed by multiple layer structured wiring lines, reducing the risk of cracking and simplifying processes by avoiding the use of transparent conductive materials and minimizing the need for additional insulating patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If transparent conductive materials like ITO are used for sensing electrodes, then transparency is improved, but flexibility and crack resistance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from transparent conductive material (ITO) to opaque conductive material (metal mesh), fundamentally altering the optical properties while improving mechanical flexibility and crack resistance in flexible touch screens
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite metal mesh structure composed of multiple metal wires arranged in a grid pattern, combining the advantages of metal flexibility with conductive functionality, replacing the brittle ITO material
2Reliability
If insulating layers are added to protect wiring lines, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the insulating layer from the flexible touch screen structure, relying on the inherent flexibility and crack resistance of the metal mesh wiring lines to provide protection without adding complex insulating layers
Solution Approach 2:
The metal mesh wiring lines inherently provide their own protection through their flexible and crack-resistant properties, eliminating the need for additional insulating layers and simplifying the overall structure
3Manufacturing precision
If complex processes are used to integrate insulating layers and connecting units, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the insulating layer integration process entirely, eliminating complex manufacturing steps while maintaining wiring line protection through the inherent properties of the metal mesh structure
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adding insulating layers to protect wiring lines, the patent inverts the approach by using the metal mesh wiring lines themselves to provide the necessary protection and functionality, simplifying the manufacturing process
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible touch screen panel includes a substrate divided into an active area, a first non-active area, and a second non-active area, a plurality of sensing electrodes in the active area, a plurality of position detecting lines in the first non-active area and connected to the sensing electrodes, a plurality of connecting units in the second non-active area and connected to the plurality of position detecting lines and the connecting units are multiple layer structure wiring lines, a pad unit including a plurality of pads in the second non-active area and the pad unit is connected to the plurality of connecting units, and an insulating layer in the active area, overlapping the first non-active area, and excluded from the second non-active area.