Touch Screen Panel Glass Substrate Reinforcement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch screen panel manufacturing methods face challenges in achieving high breaking strength and mass-production efficiency, particularly due to the difficulty in reinforcing glass substrates after cutting into unit cells and the resulting fine cracks that affect reliability.
Innovation Solution
A method involving reinforcement treatment of the glass substrate before cutting, followed by chemical HF treatment to remove fine cracks and form sensing patterns, which includes forming a reinforcing layer on both sides of the glass substrate, cutting the substrate, removing part of the reinforcing layer, and performing HF treatment to expose the non-reinforced side, allowing for the formation of touch screen panels with enhanced breaking strength and simplified production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the glass substrate is reinforced after cutting into unit cells, then the breaking strength is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The glass substrate is reinforced with a reinforcing layer before being cut into unit cells. This preliminary reinforcement action ensures that the substrate has sufficient strength during subsequent processing steps, while the reinforcement is later selectively removed from cut surfaces to eliminate stress concentration points that would reduce breaking strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing layer is selectively removed from the cut surfaces of each unit cell, creating a segmented reinforcement pattern where the bulk of the substrate remains reinforced for strength, while the cut surfaces are debonded to eliminate stress concentrations that would compromise breaking strength.
2Ease of manufacture
If the glass substrate is not reinforced, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the breaking strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The glass substrate is temporarily reinforced before cutting to maintain structural integrity during manufacturing, then the reinforcing layer is removed from cut surfaces to prevent stress concentration. This approach maintains ease of manufacture while ensuring final product strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing layer is applied uniformly across the entire glass substrate during manufacturing for ease of processing, then selectively removed only from the cut surfaces where stress concentration would occur. This local differentiation maintains both manufacturing simplicity and final breaking strength.
3Strength
If the reinforcing layer is completely removed from cut surfaces, then the breaking strength is improved, but fine cracks may form affecting reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting process inherently creates fine cracks and stress concentrations at the cut surfaces. By selectively removing the reinforcing layer from these cut surfaces, the patent converts the harmful stress concentration into a beneficial stress-free zone, allowing the glass to better withstand thermal and mechanical stresses without initiating cracks from the cut edges.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the glass substrate surface by removing the reinforcing layer through chemical etching or mechanical means, altering the surface stress state from constrained (with reinforcing layer) to free (without reinforcing layer), thereby preventing crack propagation while maintaining overall structural integrity.
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 approach enhances the breaking strength of touch screen panels and facilitates efficient mass-production by improving the glass substrate's surface strength and reducing the complexity of the manufacturing process, resulting in a more reliable and cost-effective product.
Implementation Method 1
performing a chemical HF treatment on a cross section of the glass substrate corresponding to the cut cross section and exposing the glass substrate by partially removing the reinforcing layer
Implementation Method 2
The reinforcement treatment may be performed by heating the glass substrate at about 400° C. to about 450° C. for about 15 hrs to about 18 hrs after dipping the glass substrate into a KNO3 solution
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a touch screen panel includes reinforcing a glass substrate, the glass substrate to be formed with a plurality of touch screen panels in unit cells, reinforcing the glass substrate including forming a reinforcing layer on an upper and a lower side of the glass substrate by performing a reinforcement treatment on a whole surface of the glass substrate, cutting the reinforced glass substrate in each unit cell, removing a part of the reinforcing layer formed in the upper and the lower side of the glass substrate adjacent to a cut cross section, performing a chemical HF treatment on a cross section of the glass substrate corresponding to the cut cross section and exposing the glass substrate by partially removing the reinforcing layer, and forming a touch screen panel per region of the unit cells, respectively.