Touch Panel Mesh Grid Design for OLED Thickness Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

The integration of touch panels and optical filters directly onto OLED display devices increases thickness, reduces bending performance, and raises manufacturing costs, with signal lines prone to open circuits or short circuits due to large height differences.

Innovation Solution

A touch panel design with a base featuring a mesh region and a grid region, incorporating color filter layers and touch structures with an insulating layer made of the same material as the color filter layers, which replaces the need for separate insulating and planarization layers, integrated with a display panel to reduce layer thickness and improve bending performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If touch panels and optical filters are integrated directly onto OLED display devices, then the display device achieves touch functionality and color filtering, but the thickness increases and bending performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouch functionalityVSAvoidthickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the touch panel and optical filter into a single integrated structure where the color filter layer serves dual purposes: filtering light for the display and providing insulation for the touch electrode. This consolidation eliminates separate insulating layers and reduces overall thickness while maintaining both touch functionality and optical filtering capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The color filter layer is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the optical filter for color display and the insulating layer for the touch electrode. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate layers needed, thereby reducing thickness and improving bendability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If separate insulating layers are used in the touch panel, then electrical insulation is ensured, but the number of manufacturing processes increases and production costs rise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical insulationVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The color filter layer is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the optical filter for color display and the insulating layer for the touch electrode. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate layers needed, thereby simplifying manufacturing processes and reducing production costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the touch panel and optical filter into a single integrated structure where the color filter layer serves dual purposes: filtering light for the display and providing insulation for the touch electrode. This consolidation eliminates separate insulating layers and reduces overall thickness while maintaining both touch functionality and optical filtering capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If multiple separate layers are used for touch structures and optical filters, then functional performance is maintained, but signal lines experience large height differences causing open circuits or short circuits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal line connectivityVSAvoidlayer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the touch panel and optical filter into a single integrated structure where the color filter layer serves dual purposes: filtering light for the display and providing insulation for the touch electrode. This consolidation eliminates separate insulating layers and reduces overall thickness while maintaining both touch functionality and optical filtering capabilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent integrates the touch electrode directly within the color filter layer plane, transitioning from a vertical stacking of separate layers to a more planar configuration. This dimensional reorganization reduces height differences in the signal line routing path, minimizing the risk of open circuits or short circuits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11755162B2Touch panel, manufacturing method thereof and display panel

Publication Date: 2023.09.12 CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECH CO LTD

AI summary

The touch panel includes a base, wherein the base includes a first region in a mesh shape and a second region which is a grid region surrounded by the first region; color filter layers are in the second region; a black matrix and touch structures are in the first region; the touch structures are partially in the black matrix; the touch structures include a first electrode, a second electrode, and an insulating layer between the first electrode and the second electrode; and the insulating layer is made of a material same as a material of the color filter layer. The display panel includes a display substrate, wherein the display substrate includes a pixel definition region and a pixel region defined by the pixel definition region, and the display panel further includes the above touch panel.