Micro-wire Electrode Conductor for Touch Screen Bus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transparent micro-wire electrodes in touch screens face challenges in reducing the size of electrical busses and wires while maintaining low resistance and transparency, and in simplifying manufacturing processes to lower costs and material usage.
Innovation Solution
The development of a conductive micro-wire structure with spaced-apart first and second micro-wires extending in different directions, where second micro-wires are electrically connected to multiple first micro-wires and have wider spacing, forming a robust electrical conductor capable of handling large currents in a small area with reduced resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the size of electrical busses and wires is reduced, then the area occupied by conductors is decreased, but the resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical conductor is segmented into multiple parallel micro-wires instead of using a single thick wire. This segmentation allows the conductor to maintain low resistance while occupying less area, as multiple thin wires in parallel provide adequate conductivity without requiring large space
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from planar electrode patterns to three-dimensional stacked micro-wire structures. By arranging micro-wires in multiple layers (first micro-wires in one plane, second micro-wires in another plane), the conductor achieves lower resistance through vertical stacking while maintaining compact footprint area
2Illumination intensity
If transparent micro-wire electrodes are used, then transparency is improved, but conductivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite material structures where transparent conductive oxide layers are combined with metal micro-wires. The transparent conductive oxide provides both transparency and baseline conductivity, while the metal micro-wires enhance conductivity further, creating a composite structure that achieves both high transparency and low resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the conductor by using extremely thin micro-wire diameters (micron or sub-micron scale) and arranging them in dense parallel configurations. This parameter change allows the conductor to maintain transparency by minimizing light blocking while achieving adequate conductivity through increased wire density and parallel pathways
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional manufacturing processes are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but cost and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the micro-wire electrode structure to serve multiple functions simultaneously: the same micro-wire pattern acts as both the transparent electrode for display control and the electrical conductor for signal transmission. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate conductor traces, reducing material usage while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the electrode function and conductor function into a single integrated micro-wire structure. By combining these two previously separate elements into one, the design reduces the total amount of conductive material needed while simplifying the manufacturing process through fewer deposition and patterning steps
Data Source
AI summary
Micro-wires are arranged to form an electrical conductor connected to an electrode structure. The electrical conductor includes a plurality of spaced-apart first micro-wires extending in a first direction, wherein one of the first micro-wires is a connection micro-wire. A plurality of spaced-apart second micro-wires extends in a second direction different from the first direction. At least two adjacent second micro-wires are spaced apart by a distance greater than the spacing between at least two adjacent first micro-wires. Each second micro-wire is electrically connected to at least two first micro-wires. The electrode structure includes a plurality of electrically connected third micro-wires electrically connected to the connection micro-wire at spaced-apart connection locations and at least some of the adjacent connection locations are separated by a distance greater than any of the distances separating the second micro-wires.