Foldable Touch Panel Electrode Segmentation for Bending Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible touch panels face durability issues due to long-term bending or folding, leading to increased resistance values and potential malfunction.
Innovation Solution
A foldable touch panel design with distinct sensing areas and electrode configurations, including first and second sensing electrodes, third and fourth sensing electrodes, and control units, which maintain electrode integrity by folding along a middle axis and using switches to effectively sense touch operations across areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the touch panel is folded along the middle axis between sensing areas, then durability during long-term bending is improved, but the complexity of electrode configuration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touch panel is divided into a first sensing area and a second sensing area that are spaced apart by a gap along the middle axis. This segmentation prevents electrode structures from being located at the folding portion, thereby improving durability during long-term bending while managing the complexity through structured division of sensing zones.
2Area of stationary object
If electrode structures are disposed at the folding portion, then the touch panel coverage is improved, but resistance values increase due to long-term bending
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode structures are extracted from the folding portion and relocated to the first and second sensing areas that are spaced apart. This extraction eliminates the harmful effect of repeated bending on electrode integrity while maintaining adequate touch panel coverage through proper electrode distribution in the sensing areas.
3Ease of manufacture
If the touch panel structure is simplified, then manufacturing ease is improved, but touch signal transmission may be lost due to electrode damage
Solution Approach 1:
The touch panel is segmented into distinct first and second sensing areas with electrode structures positioned in each area but not at the folding portion. This segmentation provides a simple yet effective structure that protects electrode integrity during bending, ensuring continuous touch signal transmission while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A touch panel and a sensing method thereof are provided. The sensing method includes: sensing a touch operation on a touch panel, and getting a touch trajectory of the touch operation. When the touch operation is occurred in a first sensing area, positions of the touch operation are co-located by first sensing electrodes and second sensing electrodes of the first sensing area. When the touch operation is occurred in a second sensing area, positions of the touch operation are co-located by third sensing electrodes and fourth sensing electrodes of the second sensing area. When the touch operation is occurred between the first sensing area and the second sensing area, positions of the touch operation are co-located by the first sensing electrodes and the third sensing electrodes.