Single-Substrate Touch Sensor with Shielding Mesh

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The manufacturing cost, thickness, and sensitivity of touch sensors are hindered by the use of high-resistance transparent conductive films like ITO, especially as screen sizes increase, limiting their commercialization and multi-touch functionality.

Innovation Solution

A touch sensor design featuring conductive metal lines on a single surface substrate with a shielding and opening pattern, utilizing a mesh pattern with regular polygonal shapes to minimize dead zones and improve conductivity, allowing for a single-sheet construction that reduces thickness and manufacturing complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a transparent conductive film like ITO is used, then the touch sensor can detect touch input, but the resistance is high (100 ohm/square or more) causing degraded sensitivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetouch detection capabilityVSAvoidsensitivity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameter from transparent conductive oxide (ITO) to transparent conductive polymer (PEDOT:PSS), achieving lower resistance (10 ohm/square or less) while maintaining transparency and touch detection capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite structure combining transparent conductive polymer with metal mesh pattern, achieving both low resistance and high transparency by integrating organic and inorganic materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Area of stationary object

If the screen size is increased, then the display area is enlarged, but the cost of ITO film increases rapidly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescreen sizeVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material from expensive ITO to cost-effective transparent conductive polymer, enabling large-screen manufacturing without proportional cost increase

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses cheaper transparent conductive polymer material that can be manufactured at lower cost, making large-screen touch sensors economically viable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple layers are laminated to form the touch sensor, then the functional requirements are met, but the thickness increases and light transmittance decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctional requirementsVSAvoidlight transmittance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple functional layers into a single integrated structure, combining driving electrode, sensing electrode, and wiring electrode on one substrate to reduce thickness and improve light transmittance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from multi-layer stacked structure to planar integrated structure, arranging electrodes in different regions of the same plane rather than stacking them vertically

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Ease of manufacture

If lamination process is used to assemble the touch sensor, then the components are joined, but bubbles are generated and light transmittance is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent assemblyVSAvoidlight transmittance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple electrode components into a single integrated structure, eliminating the lamination process and preventing bubble formation while maintaining component functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10416822B2Touch sensor and method for manufacturing same

Publication Date: 2019.09.17 LG CHEM LTD

AI summary

The present application relates to a touch sensor and a method of manufacturing the same, and the touch sensor according to the present application includes: a substrate; and a driving electrode unit, a sensing electrode unit, and a wiring electrode unit provided on the same surface of the substrate, in which each of the driving electrode unit, the sensing electrode unit, and the wiring electrode unit includes a conductive pattern including a shielding portion and an opening portion.