Touch Panel Conductor Thickness Variation Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Touch panels formed into three-dimensional shapes experience variations in sensitivity due to changes in the thickness of the insulating support, leading to inconsistent performance.
Innovation Solution
A method for manufacturing a conductor for touch panels involves forming thickness changed parts on an insulating transparent cover member before forming the conductive film laminate, allowing the laminate to be deformed into a three-dimensional shape while maintaining even thickness, thereby stabilizing sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the conductive film laminate is formed into a three-dimensional shape, then the touch panel can achieve a three-dimensional shape, but the thickness of the support partially changes causing variation in sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming thickness changed parts on the cover member before the forming process. Specifically, regions that will undergo deformation are pre-treated to have different thicknesses (thinner in tensile zones, thicker in compressive zones) so that after forming, the final thickness becomes uniform. This advance preparation resolves the contradiction by preventing thickness variation before it occurs during the three-dimensional forming process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating non-uniform thickness distribution in specific regions of the cover member. The thickness changed parts are localized to areas that will experience tensile or compressive forces during forming, while other regions maintain original thickness. This localized modification allows the overall structure to achieve three-dimensional shape while maintaining uniform final thickness in critical areas.
2Shape
If the conductive film laminate is formed into a three-dimensional shape, then the touch panel can achieve a three-dimensional shape, but the sensitivity of the touch panel varies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming thickness changed parts in the cover member before the three-dimensional shaping process. By adjusting the thickness in regions that will undergo deformation (making them thinner where tensile force acts and thicker where compressive force acts), the patent ensures that the final thickness after forming is uniform. This uniform thickness directly maintains consistent sensitivity across the touch panel surface, resolving the reliability issue while achieving the desired three-dimensional shape.
3Manufacturing precision
If the thickness of the support is changed during forming, then the sensitivity varies, but maintaining even thickness requires additional preliminary processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by integrating the thickness modification step into the early stages of cover member fabrication, before the forming process begins. This approach, while adding a processing step, actually simplifies the overall process by eliminating the need for post-forming thickness correction or complex real-time thickness control during forming. The thickness changed parts are created using standard manufacturing techniques, making the additional complexity manageable and worthwhile given the significant improvement in sensitivity consistency.
Data Source
AI summary
The conductor for a touch panel is manufactured by forming, on an insulating transparent cover member, at least one the thickness changed part obtained by changing a thickness of a portion to be deformed during forming with respect to a thickness of other portion in advance, forming a conductive film laminate by disposing a conductive member on a surface of the cover member, and performing collective forming into a three-dimensional shape such that the conductive film laminate is deformed at a portion where the thickness changed part is formed.