Touch Panel Substrate Stress Relief via Preliminary Structuring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thinned substrates in touch panels are prone to distortion and damage, affecting reliability and increasing manufacturing costs due to the need for equipment modification, which compromises the yield rate and structural stability during fabrication and transportation.
Innovation Solution
A fabrication method involving the bonding of two substrates with touch units and spacers, followed by thinning and cutting to form sub-mounts, which maintains structural stability and allows for customization without significant cost increases, using existing equipment and ensuring the touch panels' reliability and compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the substrate is thinned to reduce weight and thickness, then the touch panel meets market requirements for light weight and small thickness, but the substrate becomes distorted or bent due to unalleviated stress, deteriorating reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming a stress relief structure (convex portions and corresponding concave portions) on the substrate before thinning it. This pre-established structure compensates for stress during subsequent thinning and transportation processes, preventing distortion and bending that would otherwise occur. The stress relief features are created in advance to counteract the inherent stress issues that arise when the substrate is thinned to reduce weight.
2Length of stationary object
If the substrate is thinned to reduce thickness, then the touch panel achieves small thickness, but the substrate becomes distorted or bent due to unalleviated stress, affecting manufacturing yield rate
Solution Approach 1:
The stress relief structure is formed on the substrate before the thinning process begins. This preliminary structuring ensures that when the substrate is subsequently thinned to achieve small thickness, the pre-built convex and concave portions actively manage stress distribution, preventing distortion and bending that would compromise manufacturing precision and yield rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating specific convex portions and corresponding concave portions at strategic locations on the substrate rather than uniformly modifying the entire substrate. These localized stress relief features are positioned to specifically address stress concentration points, allowing the substrate to be thinned uniformly while maintaining overall flatness and manufacturing precision through targeted local modifications.
3Weight of moving object
If the substrate is thinned, then the touch panel achieves light weight and small thickness, but existing production equipment must be replaced or modified, significantly increasing manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the substrate modification process into two distinct stages: first forming the stress relief structure (convex and concave portions) on the original thickness substrate using existing equipment, then thinning the substrate afterward. This segmentation allows standard production equipment to be used for the stress relief feature formation, avoiding the need to replace or modify expensive thinning equipment, thereby controlling manufacturing costs while still achieving thin final products.
4Weight of moving object
If the substrate is thinned to reduce weight and thickness, then the touch panel meets market requirements, but the substrate is more susceptible to damage by external force during fabrication or transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The stress relief structure is formed on the substrate before thinning, creating a pre-reinforced architecture that compensates for the reduced structural integrity inherent in thinned substrates. The convex and concave portions act as built-in reinforcement features that distribute external forces more evenly across the substrate surface, preventing crack propagation and damage during fabrication and transportation despite the substrate's reduced thickness and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by creating stress relief structures that act as protective features before the substrate undergoes thinning and subsequent handling. These pre-formed convex and concave portions serve as cushioning elements that absorb and distribute impact forces during fabrication and transportation, protecting the thinned substrate from damage that would be more likely to occur in thinner, more fragile materials.
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 method results in touch panels with enhanced reliability and mechanical strength, reducing the likelihood of damage during transportation and maintaining manufacturing efficiency while avoiding the need for costly equipment modifications.
Implementation Method 1
a sealant and a plurality of first spacers are provided between the substrates, and the substrates are bonded through the sealant
Data Source
AI summary
A fabrication method of a touch panel is provided. In the fabrication method, the two substrates are provided, and a plurality of touch units are formed on each of the substrates. A sealant and a plurality of first spacers are provided between the substrates, and the substrates are bonded through the sealant, so that the touch units are sealed between the substrates. The touch units and the first spacers are surrounded by the sealant. The substrates are thinned. The thinned substrates are cut into a plurality of sub-mounts separated from one another. Each of the sub-mounts has one of the touch units thereon.