Touch Window Metal Electrode Oxidation Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional touch windows using indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes face issues such as high manufacturing costs, physical damage susceptibility, limited flexibility, and reliability concerns due to oxidation and visibility problems, especially in harsh environments like vehicles.

Innovation Solution

A touch window design featuring a substrate with a resin layer and an electrode layer that includes a conductive layer with a protective metal nitride compound layer, where the conductive layer's width is smaller than the resin pattern, and a protective layer surrounds the conductive layer to prevent oxidation and enhance visibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a metal electrode is used to replace ITO, then manufacturing cost is reduced and flexibility is improved, but the electrode is susceptible to oxidation and reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidelectrode reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a composite structure consisting of a metal electrode layer combined with a protective layer. The metal layer provides conductivity and flexibility, while the protective layer prevents oxidation. This composite material approach resolves the contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties to achieve both low cost and high reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The protective layer acts as an intermediary between the metal electrode and the external environment. It mediates the interaction by preventing direct contact between oxygen/moisture and the metal surface, thereby preventing oxidation while allowing the metal to maintain its electrical and mechanical functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If a metal electrode is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but visibility is degraded due to glittering characteristic

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidvisibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The composite structure of metal electrode plus protective layer resolves the visibility issue. The protective layer is designed to be transparent or translucent, allowing light to pass through while suppressing the glittering effect of the underlying metal. This maintains visibility while enabling the use of cost-effective metal materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The protective layer can be designed with specific optical properties including transparency, translucency, or specific color characteristics. By controlling the optical properties of the protective layer, the glittering effect of the metal is suppressed while maintaining or enhancing the overall visibility and aesthetic appearance of the touch window.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

3Illumination intensity

If the conductive layer width is reduced to improve visibility, then transparency is enhanced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovetransparencyVSAvoidconductive layer width control

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs thin-film deposition techniques to create the metal electrode layer and protective layer. This allows for precise control of layer thickness and width at the micro-scale, enabling the conductive layer to be made very thin and narrow without compromising manufacturing feasibility. The thin-film approach achieves high transparency while maintaining manufacturability through advanced deposition processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 enhances the reliability and visibility of touch windows by preventing oxidation and reflection, while allowing for flexible and durable designs suitable for various environments, including vehicles.

Implementation Method 1

a conductive layer and a protective layer formed on the conductive layer... the protective layer includes a metal nitride compound... preventing oxidation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOxidation prevention: Oxidation

Implementation Method 2

the protective layer includes a metal nitride compound... 1.3 weight % or more of nitrogen is included... preventing oxidation and reflection

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReflection reduction: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS10372279B2Touch window

Publication Date: 2019.08.06 LG INNOTEK CO LTD

AI summary

A touch window includes a substrate including an available area and an unavailable area; and an electrode layer formed on the substrate, wherein the electrode layer includes a conductive layer and a protective layer formed on the conductive layer, the protective layer is in direct contact with the conductive layer, the protective layer has a thickness different from that of the conductive layer, and the protective layer includes a black-based color.