Touch Substrate with Zig Zag Mesh Electrodes for Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional touch substrates with mesh electrodes face issues of high resistance and interference due to large distances between conductive channels, leading to inaccurate touch detection, and Moiré patterns when channels are too small, while narrow conductive channels increase resistance and affect detection accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A touch substrate with a first mesh electrode layer featuring zig zag contours and interconnected strands, and a second mesh electrode layer crossing over the first, both with varying widths to reduce capacitance and resistance, enhancing touch accuracy by ensuring at least two nodes in narrowest portions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the distance between conductive channels is increased, then the resistance is reduced, but the capacitance increases and touch detection accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouch detection accuracyVSAvoidcapacitance interference
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The conductive channel is segmented into multiple parallel strands instead of a single continuous channel. This segmentation allows the channel to maintain electrical connectivity while reducing the effective width, thereby lowering capacitance without significantly increasing resistance. The multiple strands work together to provide both low resistance and low capacitance characteristics simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The conductive channel has non-uniform width along its length, with different sections having different widths. The channel is narrower in certain regions to reduce capacitance and wider in other regions to maintain low resistance. This local variation in geometry allows optimization of both electrical properties at different locations along the same channel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the conductive channel width is reduced, then the capacitance is reduced, but the resistance increases and touch detection accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecapacitanceVSAvoidtouch detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a single narrow channel that would have high resistance, the design segments the conductive path into multiple parallel strands. Each strand can be narrow to minimize capacitance, but collectively they provide low resistance through parallel electrical connections. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between narrow width (low capacitance) and sufficient conductivity (low resistance).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple conductive strands are merged into a single functional conductive channel structure. While each individual strand is narrow to reduce capacitance, the strands are electrically connected in parallel to combine their conductivity, achieving both low capacitance and low resistance properties that would be impossible with a single channel of equivalent total width.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If conventional mesh electrodes are used, then the structure is simple, but Moiré patterns occur and touch detection accuracy is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrode structureVSAvoidtouch detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The conductive channels are designed with asymmetric, non-uniform width profiles instead of symmetric uniform widths. The channels are narrower in certain regions and wider in others, creating an asymmetric geometry that breaks the periodicity that causes Moiré patterns. This asymmetric design eliminates the visual interference patterns while maintaining electrical performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The conductive channels incorporate curved and zig-zag geometries instead of straight linear paths. The channels may have bends, curves, or zig-zag patterns that disrupt regular periodic structures. This curvature and geometric complexity prevent the formation of Moiré patterns by breaking the regularity that causes interference, while still providing effective conductive paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentUS11385748B2Touch substrate, touch control display panel, and method of fabricating touch substrate
Publication Date: 2022.07.12 BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
  • US11385748B2 patent drawing
  • US11385748B2 patent drawing
  • US11385748B2 patent drawing

AI summary

The present application discloses a touch substrate. The touch substrate includes a base substrate, and a first mesh electrode layer having a plurality of first mesh electrodes on the base substrate. The plurality of first mesh electrodes are arranged substantially along a first direction. Each of the plurality of first mesh electrodes extends substantially along a second direction. Each of the plurality of first mesh electrodes includes a plurality of first portions having a zig zag contour, a midline of each of the plurality of first portions being a zig zag line.