Touch Sensor Wiring for Large-Area Mask Cost Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing touch sensor technologies face challenges in forming large-area patterns efficiently, particularly with asymmetric wiring patterns, which limits their application and increases manufacturing costs due to the need for large-area masks.

Innovation Solution

A touch sensor design utilizing a small-area exposure mask with a repetitive patterning method, incorporating a first and second sub-wiring part, where non-drawing wires are used for signal transmission and dummy wires for noise shielding, allowing for the formation of large-area touch sensors using a stitch method.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a large-area exposure mask is used to form large-area touch sensor patterns, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the manufacturing cost increases and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidmask area and cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the large-area exposure mask into multiple small-area exposure masks that can be repeatedly used. Each small-area mask contains a unit pattern that can be stitched together to form the complete large-area touch sensor pattern, reducing mask area and manufacturing cost while maintaining process simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a small-area exposure mask that can be repeatedly copied and applied multiple times to form the large-area pattern. The unit pattern in the small mask is replicated across the substrate through stitching, eliminating the need for a single large-area mask

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If asymmetric wiring patterns are used in touch sensors, then the sensor can be applied to various configurations, but forming large-area patterns becomes difficult and requires complex masks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewiring pattern flexibilityVSAvoidlarge-area pattern formation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the asymmetric wiring pattern into a unit pattern that can be repeatedly stitched together. The small-area exposure mask contains this unit pattern with asymmetric wiring, and through repeated application and stitching, forms the complete large-area asymmetric wiring structure, maintaining versatility while simplifying manufacturing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from forming patterns in a single large-area mask to forming patterns through repeated application of small-area masks across multiple dimensions. The unit pattern is replicated and stitched together, allowing asymmetric wiring designs to be scaled up systematically

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS11774858B2Touch sensor and exposure mask for forming same

Publication Date: 2023.10.03 DONGWOO FINE CHEM CO LTD

AI summary

A touch sensor comprises a group pattern having a sensing cell part including a plurality of sensing cell groups in which a plurality of sensing cells are electrically connected and a wiring part formed outside the sensing cell part. The wiring part includes a first sub-wiring part and a second sub-wiring part. The first sub-wiring part has a drawing wire electrically connected to a sensing cell at one end of the sensing cell group. The second sub-wiring part is disposed outside the first sub-wiring part and has a non-drawing wire not electrically connected to the sensing cell part. The non-drawing wires are provided as many as the number of unit patterns repeatedly formed to constitute a large-area touch sensor minus one.