Foldable Touch Panel Single-Step Electrode Patterning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production method for conventional mutual capacitive touch panels is complex due to the separate steps for forming touch driving and sensing electrode patterns, which complicates the process.
Innovation Solution
A method that forms both touch driving and sensing electrodes on a single substrate using a single exposure and mask process, followed by folding the substrate to create laminated layers with an insulating adhesive in between, simplifying the process and enabling simultaneous formation of electrodes on different layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate steps are used to form touch driving and sensing electrode patterns, then the capacitive touch sensing functionality is achieved, but the production process becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the formation of touch driving electrodes and touch sensing electrodes into a single patterning step. Both electrode patterns are formed simultaneously on the same substrate using one photoresist layer and one exposure process, eliminating the need for separate formation steps and reducing production process complexity while maintaining the capacitive touch sensing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The single photoresist layer serves multiple functions: it defines both the touch driving electrode pattern and the touch sensing electrode pattern simultaneously. This multi-functional approach allows one material layer to perform what previously required separate processing steps for each electrode type.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate steps are used to form touch driving and sensing electrode patterns, then the electrode patterns can be formed, but the number of production steps increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the formation of both electrode patterns into a single exposure and development step. The photoresist layer is patterned once to define both the touch driving and touch sensing electrodes simultaneously, reducing the total number of production steps from multiple sequential operations to a single integrated process, thereby improving productivity.
3Device complexity
If a single mask and exposure process is used to form both electrode patterns, then the production process is simplified, but the electrodes must be arranged on the same surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the third dimension (vertical stacking) by folding the substrate to position the touch driving electrodes and touch sensing electrodes on different layers. This dimensional transition allows both electrode types to be formed by a single mask and exposure process on the same surface initially, then separated into different spatial layers through substrate folding, thereby maintaining production simplicity while achieving proper electrode arrangement for capacitive sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate is transformed from a flat two-dimensional structure to a folded three-dimensional structure. This dynamic transformation allows the electrodes, initially patterned on the same surface, to be positioned on different layers in the final assembled device, providing the necessary spatial separation for capacitive touch sensing while maintaining the simplicity of single-step patterning.
Data Source
AI summary
A touch panel capable of being simply manufactured includes a foldable substrate, a plurality of touch driving electrodes on the substrate, and a plurality of touch sensing electrodes on the substrate. The substrate includes two laminated layers achieved by folding. The touch driving electrodes are on one of the two laminated layers and the touch sensing electrodes are on the other of the two laminated layers. The touch driving electrodes and the touch sensing electrodes are formed by a same conductive layer on a surface of the substrate.