Touch Sensor Plating Gaps for Uniform Electrode Appearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch sensors using a plating method for forming touch detection electrodes, peripheral wiring, and electrode pads can result in non-uniform metal plating thickness, leading to shading unevenness when visually recognized.
Innovation Solution
The touch sensor design includes conductive layers with gaps in the plating layers of the electrode pads and peripheral wiring, allowing the metal plating to fill these gaps and connect electrically, ensuring uniform thickness and reducing shading unevenness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a plating method is used to form touch detection electrode, peripheral wiring, and electrode pad simultaneously, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but metal plating thickness becomes non-uniform causing shading unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the plating process into separate stages: first forming the touch detection electrode pattern, then forming the peripheral wiring and electrode pad patterns separately. This segmentation allows each component to be plated independently, ensuring uniform thickness while maintaining the benefits of efficient manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a preliminary plating treatment to form the touch detection electrode before forming the peripheral wiring and electrode pads. This preliminary action ensures that the touch detection electrode receives optimal plating thickness before subsequent plating operations, preventing shading unevenness.
2Reliability
If the layer to be plated has continuous pattern without gaps, then electrical connection is maintained, but shading unevenness occurs due to non-uniform plating thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces gaps in specific locations of the layer to be plated, particularly in the peripheral wiring and electrode pad areas, while maintaining continuous plating in the touch detection electrode area. This local differentiation allows uniform plating thickness where needed while ensuring electrical connectivity where required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the gap structure as an intermediary mechanism that controls plating deposition. The gaps act as barriers that prevent excessive plating accumulation in certain areas, thereby achieving uniform overall thickness while maintaining electrical connectivity through controlled pathways.
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 effectively suppresses shading unevenness and improves electrical connection reliability by uniformly forming the metal plating layers, enhancing the visual appearance and functionality of the touch detection electrodes.
Implementation Method 1
the layer to be plated in at least one of the first electrode pad or the peripheral wiring has a gap that interrupts the layer to be plated, and portions of the metal plating layer across the gap are electrically connected to each other by filling the gap with the metal plating layer
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a touch sensor that can suppress shading unevenness of a touch detection electrode, and a method for producing the touch sensor.The touch sensor is provided with a substrate (1) and a conductive layer (2A) formed on the substrate (1), and the touch sensor has a structure in which the conductive layers (2A) each have a touch detection electrode, a first electrode pad being formed on the touch detection electrode, a peripheral wiring drawn out from the first electrode pad, and a second electrode pad connected to the peripheral wiring, the touch detection electrode, the first electrode pad, the peripheral wiring, and the second electrode pad have a layer (3) to be plated and a metal plating layer (4) covering the layer (3) to be plated, the layer (3) to be plated of at least one of the first electrode pad or the peripheral wiring has a gap (G), and portions of the metal plating layer (4) across the gap (G) are electrically connected to each other by filling the gap (G) with the metal plating layer (4).