Touch Panel Flexible Circuit Board Area Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch panels have a large area and high fabrication cost due to the reserved space for virtual leads in flexible circuit boards, which increases the overall size and production expenses.
Innovation Solution
A touch panel design that places a virtual pattern outside all pads and reserved rooms, allowing direct observation of conductive particle rupture through the reserved area, reducing the area and cost of the flexible circuit board without modifying existing fabrication processes or equipment, using a touch sensing layer, flexible circuit board, and anisotropic conductive film for electrical connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a virtual lead is arranged in the blank room among conductive traces on the flexible circuit board, then electrical connection is achieved, but the total area and fabrication cost of the flexible circuit board increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the virtual lead from the flexible circuit board by implementing direct pad-to-pad electrical connections through the anisotropic conductive film, eliminating the need for virtual leads and their associated blank rooms, thereby reducing the overall area of the flexible circuit board while maintaining reliable electrical connections
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of the virtual lead and the blank room by directly connecting sensing pads to conductive pads through the anisotropic conductive film, combining the electrical connection function with the space-saving design, thus eliminating the separate virtual lead structure and reducing total area
2Reliability
If a reserved area is designed for virtual lead on the flexible circuit board, then electrical connection is achieved, but fabrication cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the virtual lead structure and its associated reserved area from the flexible circuit board design, extracting this unnecessary component while maintaining electrical connection functionality through direct pad-to-pad connections via the anisotropic conductive film, thereby reducing fabrication complexity and cost
Solution Approach 2:
The anisotropic conductive film serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical connection between sensing pads and conductive pads, acts as an adhesive layer, and enables direct connection without requiring separate virtual leads, thereby simplifying the overall structure and reducing fabrication costs
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design effectively reduces the area and fabrication cost of touch panels by simplifying wiring and maintaining electrical connections through a larger reserved room and virtual pattern, enhancing market competitiveness.
Implementation Method 1
an anisotropic conductive film 18
Data Source
AI summary
A touch panel includes a touch sensing layer, a flexible circuit board and an anisotropic conductive film. The touch sensing layer includes sensing pads and a reserved room, and the reserved room is arranged outside the sensing pads. The flexible circuit board includes conductive pads, the outermost conductive pad is provided with a virtual pattern, and the position of the virtual pattern corresponds to the position of the reserved room. The anisotropic conductive film is arranged between the touch sensing layer and the flexible circuit board, and the sensing pads are respectively electrically connected to the conductive pads through the anisotropic conductive film.