Touchscreen Display Structure Without Glass Cover

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional touchscreen displays in information processing devices are heavy and thick due to the use of glass covers, which increases the weight and size of the devices, making them less portable and more expensive to manufacture.

Innovation Solution

A touchscreen display structure that omits the glass cover, using a flexible electrode sheet and liquid crystal display panel configuration with a backlight unit and control board arrangement to maintain mechanical strength while reducing weight and size, and a manufacturing method involving roll lamination to form the touchscreen unit on the display unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a glass cover is used for the touchscreen display surface, then the strength and durability are improved, but the weight and thickness of the information processing apparatus increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface strengthVSAvoidapparatus weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the glass cover from the touchscreen display structure, extracting only the essential functional layers (touchsensor unit and display unit) while eliminating the heavy protective glass component. This extraction principle directly resolves the contradiction by achieving sufficient strength through the bonded structure of the remaining components without the weight penalty of glass.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs thin film structures for both the touchsensor unit and display unit, replacing the rigid glass cover with flexible, thin-layered components. These thin films maintain the necessary mechanical strength and protective functions while dramatically reducing weight and thickness, directly addressing the contradiction between strength and weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Strength

If a glass cover is used for the touchscreen display surface, then the strength and durability are improved, but the thickness of the touchscreen display increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface strengthVSAvoiddisplay thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

By removing the glass cover layer entirely, the patent extracts the excessive thickness associated with glass components. The remaining structure consists only of the essential thin film layers needed for touchsensing and display functions, achieving adequate strength without the thickness burden of glass.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The use of thin film structures for the touchsensor and display units replaces thick glass with ultrathin functional layers. These films provide the necessary mechanical integrity and protective qualities while minimizing thickness, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If conventional touchscreen structures are used, then the display function is achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases due to glass cover requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay functionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the touchsensor unit and display unit into a single integrated structure without requiring separate glass cover assembly. This consolidation eliminates the need for additional glass handling, alignment, and bonding processes, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining full display and touch functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameters from glass-based construction to organic thin-film construction. This parameter change fundamentally alters the manufacturing process, replacing expensive glass fabrication and assembly with more cost-effective thin-film deposition and lamination techniques, thereby reducing manufacturing cost while preserving display reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 results in a lightweight, compact information processing apparatus with improved operational feel and reduced manufacturing costs, as the touchscreen display is thinner, lighter, and easier to produce without the need for heavy glass components.

Implementation Method 1

a liquid crystal display panel 120 and a backlight unit 130

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLiquid crystal effect: Liquid Crystals

Implementation Method 2

a liquid crystal display panel 120 and a backlight unit 130

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight emission: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentUS10228796B2Information processing apparatus and method of manufacturing information processing apparatus

Publication Date: 2019.03.12 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

There is provided an information processing apparatus, including: a display unit including a display area, the display area being configured to display an image; and a touchscreen unit including a facing area and an outer area, the facing area facing the display area, the outer area being outside of the facing area. An area of the touchscreen unit is attached to the display unit, the area including the facing area and the outer area.