Touch Sensor Insulating Layer Trench Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch sensors in display devices often suffer from defects such as cracks and corrosion due to inadequate adhesive application and exposure to external gases, leading to increased resistance and short circuits, especially during the roll-to-roll manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A touch sensor design featuring a support layer with a touch area and a non-touch area, including a sensing electrode part and an insulating layer with a trench along the perimeter, which helps in preventing adhesive insufficiency and gas permeation by using a dual-layer insulating structure with a trench to maintain adhesive thickness and prevent external moisture ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional insulating layer structure is used without a trench, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but adhesive insufficiency occurs and external gases can permeate through, causing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating layer is segmented by introducing a trench structure that divides it into distinct regions. The trench separates the adhesive application area from the sensing electrode area, ensuring proper adhesive distribution and preventing it from reaching the sensing electrode, thereby eliminating defects while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The trench acts as an intermediary barrier between the adhesive layer and the sensing electrode. By introducing this intermediate structure, the patent prevents direct contact between adhesive and sensing electrode, avoiding the harmful effect of adhesive contamination while still allowing adhesive to be applied in the correct location
2Manufacturing precision
If adhesive is applied without a trench structure, then the application process is faster, but adhesive thickness cannot be maintained consistently, leading to defects
Solution Approach 1:
The trench structure is prepared in advance during the insulating layer formation process, before adhesive application. This preliminary structuring of the substrate guides the adhesive application process, ensuring that adhesive is deposited at the correct location with consistent thickness, thereby improving manufacturing precision without significantly impacting productivity
3Strength
If the insulating layer extends to the edge of the support layer, then the structure appears more complete, but cracks and corrosion occur due to stress concentration and gas exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The trench structure extracts or removes a portion of the insulating layer material to create a protective barrier. By taking out material to form the trench, the patent prevents cracks and corrosion from propagating across the entire insulating layer, thereby improving strength and resistance to environmental degradation
Solution Approach 2:
The trench structure provides beforehand cushioning by creating a stress-relief feature in the insulating layer. This pre-designed structural feature prevents stress concentration at the edges, cushioning against the development of cracks and corrosion before they can occur, thereby improving the durability of the touch sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a touch sensor that includes a support layer including a touch area and a non-touch area surrounding the touch area, a sensing electrode part disposed on the support layer and in the touch area, and an insulating layer disposed in the touch area and a portion of the non-touch area. The insulating layer has a trench disposed along a perimeter of the touch area in the non-touch area. Also disclosed is a display device that includes the touch sensor and a method of manufacturing the touch sensor.