Touch Panel Light Blocking Layers for Narrow Bezel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch panels face challenges in achieving a narrow bezel while effectively hiding signal wires, as the light blocking film must be carefully managed to prevent signal wires from being visible due to joining errors between the wire substrate and the cover glass.
Innovation Solution
A touch panel configuration with a wire substrate and a cover substrate, where the wire substrate includes a sensor electrode and signal wires with a first light blocking layer covering the closest signal wire, and the cover substrate has a second light blocking layer facing the outer edge region of the first layer, ensuring that even if a joining error occurs, the signal wires remain hidden.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the light blocking film is narrowed to achieve a narrow bezel, then the bezel size is reduced, but the signal wires become visible due to joining errors
Solution Approach 1:
The light blocking film is divided into multiple segments: a first light blocking film on the wire substrate and a second light blocking film on the cover substrate. This segmentation allows each layer to independently cover signal wires even when joining errors occur, resolving the contradiction between narrow bezel and reliable wire concealment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing overlapping light blocking films on both substrates before joining. The overlap region is designed to compensate for potential joining errors, ensuring signal wires remain hidden regardless of alignment variations during assembly.
2Reliability
If the light blocking film is widened to hide signal wires, then the concealment reliability is improved, but the bezel size increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the light blocking function across two separate films on different substrates, the patent achieves reliable wire concealment without requiring a single oversized film. Each segment can be optimized independently, maintaining narrow bezel while ensuring coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-layer light blocking approach to a multi-layer approach across different dimensions (wire substrate side and cover substrate side). This dimensional expansion allows coverage of signal wires through overlapping layers rather than widening a single film.
3Length of moving object
If the light blocking film is narrowed, then the manufacturing precision requirement increases, but the bezel size is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The overlapping configuration of light blocking films serves as beforehand cushioning against joining errors. The overlap region provides a tolerance buffer that reduces the stringency of manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining narrow bezel dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of light blocking film configuration from a single continuous film to overlapping segmented films. This parameter change transforms the system's tolerance to joining errors, effectively reducing the required manufacturing precision while achieving narrow bezel.
Data Source
AI summary
A touch panel includes: a wire substrate and a cover substrate joined to each other, wherein the wire substrate includes a sensor electrode; a plurality of signal wires that are electrically connected to the sensor electrode and extend along a circumference of the sensor electrode; and a first light blocking layer that covers at least a signal wire disposed closest to the sensor electrode of the plurality of signal wires, and wherein the cover substrate includes a second light blocking layer that faces a continuous region including an outer edge region of the first light blocking layer and a signal wire disposed so as to be the most distant from the sensor electrode.