Flexible Touch Screen Panel Using Ductile Metal Mesh
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch screen panels face issues with flexibility, visibility, and electrical performance when used on flexible image display devices due to the limitations of glass substrates and transparent conductive materials, leading to cracks and visible coupling patterns.
Innovation Solution
A flexible touch screen panel with sensing cells formed as ductile, conductive meshes on a flexible substrate and coupling patterns created using a lamination structure of different materials to ensure low surface resistance and concealment, employing opaque metals like silver, aluminum, or copper, and a polarizing film to reduce reflectance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transparent conductive material (ITO) is used for sensing cells, then electrical conductivity is achieved, but cracks occur when the panel is curved or folded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from brittle transparent conductive material (ITO) to ductile opaque conductive material (metal mesh), which fundamentally alters the mechanical properties to enable flexibility while maintaining conductivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure of metal wires forming a mesh pattern, combining conductivity with ductility, replacing the single-material ITO layer to achieve both electrical performance and mechanical flexibility
2Reliability
If glass substrate is used, then high heat resistance and chemical resistance are achieved, but the substrate cannot be formed to have sufficiently small thickness or be flexible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid glass substrate with a flexible thin film substrate, enabling the entire touch screen panel to be bent or folded while maintaining structural integrity and supporting the conductive mesh sensing cells
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the substrate material parameter from glass to flexible thin film, fundamentally altering the mechanical properties to achieve flexibility and thinness while using alternative processes suitable for flexible materials
3Ease of manufacture
If coupling patterns are formed with opaque metal on flexible thin film, then manufacturing is simplified, but the coupling patterns become visible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different properties to different parts: the sensing cells use opaque metal mesh for conductivity, while the coupling patterns use transparent conductive material to be invisible, with each part optimized for its specific function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses transparent conductive material for coupling patterns that optically blends with the transparent substrate, creating an invisible copy of the electrical connection function without the visual appearance of metal wires
4Illumination intensity
If coupling patterns are formed with narrow width, then transparency is improved, but electrical transmittance and surface resistance conditions become difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses transparent conductive material for coupling patterns that provides both optical transparency and sufficient electrical conductivity, replacing the traditional opaque metal wire approach that required wider dimensions
Data Source
AI summary
A flexible touch screen panel includes a flexible substrate; a plurality of first sensing cells on a surface of the substrate and arranged along a first direction, and a plurality of second sensing cells on the surface of the substrate and arranged along a second direction crossing the first direction; and a plurality of first coupling patterns configured to couple adjacent ones of the first sensing cells along the first direction, and a plurality of second coupling patterns configured to couple adjacent ones of the second sensing cells along the second direction, wherein the first and second sensing cells form meshes having a plurality of apertures, and the first coupling patterns have a lamination structure including different materials.