Touch Panel Meshed Conductive Circuit Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Capacitive touch panels using ITO glass or film face issues such as surface scratches, peeling, high cost due to rare indium, and poor touch sensitivity due to high surface resistance, affecting signal transmission speed and user experience.
Innovation Solution
A touch panel design featuring a meshed conductive circuit on transparent insulating substrates, with sensing and driving electrodes formed on separate substrates, which are then attached, using materials like silver for low-cost, high-conductivity meshed conductive circuits, reducing surface resistance and enhancing sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ITO glass or ITO film is used to form driving and sensing electrodes, then the touch panel can be manufactured with conventional processes, but the surface resistance is large which affects signal transmission speed and touch sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from ITO (indium tin oxide) to silver-based conductive ink, fundamentally altering the electrical conductivity parameter. This material substitution reduces surface resistance from typical ITO values (10-20 ohm/sq) to much lower values with silver, directly improving signal transmission speed and touch sensitivity while maintaining the capacitive touch panel structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material structures by combining silver particles with organic binders to create conductive ink formulations. This composite approach allows optimization of both electrical conductivity and adhesion properties, achieving low surface resistance while preventing peeling and maintaining flexibility in the electrode layers
2Ease of manufacture
If ITO glass or ITO film is used to form electrodes, then the touch panel can be produced, but the indium is rare and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive ITO materials with cheaper alternative materials, specifically silver-based conductive inks that can be applied in thinner layers and require less material overall. This substitution dramatically reduces material costs while maintaining or improving electrical performance, making the touch panel more cost-effective despite silver's higher market price per unit weight
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material composition parameter from indium-based ITO to silver-based conductive ink, eliminating dependence on rare indium resources. This parameter change not only reduces material cost but also simplifies the supply chain and manufacturing process by using more readily available materials with established printing and deposition techniques
3Ease of manufacture
If ITO driving electrode or sensing electrode is used, then the electrode patterns can be formed, but the electrode bulges on the surface and is easy to be scratched or peeled off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin film technology by depositing silver-based conductive ink in ultra-thin layers that conform to the substrate surface without creating noticeable bulges. These thin film electrodes maintain flexibility and adhesion, preventing peeling while preserving optical transparency and electrical conductivity, thereby improving both durability and visual quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material formulations combining silver particles with adhesive binders and solvents, creating a multi-functional conductive ink that provides both electrical conductivity and mechanical adhesion. This composite structure ensures strong bonding to the substrate, preventing scratching and peeling while maintaining the electrode's electrical performance and surface flatness
4Reliability
If meshed conductive circuit is used instead of ITO film, then cost and surface resistance are improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional photolithography and sputtering mechanical processes with printing-based deposition methods for creating meshed conductive circuits. This substitution uses non-contact or minimal-contact printing techniques to deposit silver-based conductive ink through masks or direct printing, simplifying equipment requirements while achieving precise mesh patterns with low surface resistance and reduced material cost
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
The solution provides a cost-effective touch panel with improved sensitivity and durability, reducing the risk of scratches and peeling, while maintaining efficient signal transmission.
Implementation Method 1
the main material of ITO glass or ITO film is a rare metal of indium, the indium is rare, so it is costly, and the resistance or surface resistance of a large size touch ITO panel is large, which affects the signal transmission speed
Implementation Method 2
When a finger touches the touch panel, the user and a surface of the capacitive touch panel form a coupling capacitor due to a body electric field, for a high frequency current, the capacitor is a conductor, a small current pass through from the contact point of the finger
Data Source
AI summary
A touch panel includes: a first transparent insulating substrate; a second transparent insulating substrate, comprising a first surface which is faced to the first transparent insulating substrate and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a sensing electrode layer, disposed between the first transparent insulating substrate and the second insulating substrate, the sensing electrode layer comprising a plurality of independently disposed sensing electrodes; and a driving electrode layer, disposed on the first surface or the second surface of the second transparent insulating layer, the driving electrode layer comprising a plurality of independently disposed driving electrodes, each driving electrode comprising a meshed conductive circuit. A method of manufacturing a touch panel is also disclosed. The touch panel has a lower cost and a higher sensitivity.