JPH1091345A - Touch panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the touch panel which can effectively prevent a defect in connection between a taking-out circuit and a lead-out circuit and can be improved in durability. SOLUTION: Insulating substrates 1 and 7 provided with electrodes 2 and 8 and lead-out circuits 3 and 9, connected to the electrodes 2 and 8, on their surfaces are stuck together having the electrodes 2C and 8 opposite each other, and the taking-out circuits 12 and 14 of a terminal insulating substrate 11 are connected to the lead-out circuits 3 and 9 to constitute the touch panel 19. This touch panel is provided with a layer 16 for reinforcement which consists principally of urethane modified epoxy resin and covers both the root 17 of the terminal insulating substrate 11 projecting from the insulating substrate 1 and the end part 18 of the insulating substrate 1 together.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a touch panel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A touch panel is used for inputting information on a surface of a display such as a display such as a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, and an electroluminescence display, or for indicating coordinates on a drawing or the like. .

The touch panel 20 has, for example, a configuration as shown in FIG. That is, a first electrode 22 made of a transparent conductive film such as ITO is provided on a first insulating substrate 21 such as a lower glass plate. Also, the first electrode 2
2, a first drawing circuit 23 made of conductive ink is provided. Then, on the surfaces of the first insulating substrate 21 and the first electrode 22, a dot-shaped spacer 24 made of a UV-curable insulating resin or the like is provided. Also, the first insulating substrate 21
And double-sided tape 25 on the surface of the first drawer circuit 23
Is stuck. Further, a first adhesive layer 26 made of an anisotropic conductive adhesive is provided on the surface of the end of the first extraction circuit 23 opposite to the end connected to the first electrode 22.
Then, the second electrode 2 made of a transparent conductive film such as ITO is formed on the second insulating substrate 27 made of an upper polymer film or the like.
8 is provided. A second lead-out circuit 29 made of conductive ink is connected to the second electrode 28. Also,
A second adhesive layer 30 made of an anisotropic conductive adhesive is provided at an end of the second extraction circuit 29 opposite to the end connected to the second electrode 28. Then, the first insulating substrate 21 and the second
The first electrode 22 and the second electrode 28 are superposed on each other so as to face each other, and are adhered to each other with a double-sided tape 25. In addition, one end of a flexible terminal insulating substrate 31 made of a polymer film or the like is bent and folded, and the first extracting circuit 32 made of conductive ink is bent.
3 and a second take-out circuit 34 made of the same conductive ink is provided up to the end of the bent portion 33. Then, the first extracting circuit 32 is connected to the first adhesive layer 26, and the second extracting circuit 34 is connected to the second adhesive layer 30.

[0004]

By the way, devices such as mobile terminals incorporating such a touch panel 20 tend to be miniaturized. For this reason, the touch panel 20
When the terminal is incorporated in the device, the terminal insulating substrate 31 is deformed or pulled. Due to such deformation, the touch panel 20 has a disadvantage that the connection between the first extraction circuit 32 and the first extraction circuit 23 tends to be defective.

In order to improve this disadvantage, a material such as silicon, epoxy resin, acrylic resin or the like is used for the first insulating substrate 2.
1 and the terminal insulating substrate 31 protruding from
It is also conceivable to provide a reinforcing layer by applying a resin such as silicon, epoxy resin, or acrylic resin along with the end of the insulating substrate 21. However, when silicon is used, it is too soft, and the effect of preventing connection failure due to deformation or the like of the terminal insulating substrate is low. Also, when epoxy resin or acrylic resin is used, these materials are hard and adhere well to the glass plate, but have low adhesion to polyester film etc. There is a drawback of low performance.

According to the present invention, the above disadvantages can be improved, and a connection failure between the extraction circuit and the extraction circuit can be effectively prevented.
An object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel capable of improving durability.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an insulating substrate provided with an electrode and a lead-out circuit connected to the electrode on the surface thereof is attached to each other with the electrodes facing each other. In addition, in a touch panel in which the take-out circuit of the terminal insulating board provided with the take-out circuit is connected to the draw-out circuit, the base of the terminal insulating board projecting from the insulating substrate and the end of the insulating board Another object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel characterized by providing a reinforcing layer mainly composed of a urethane-modified epoxy resin to be coated.

According to the present invention, a reinforcing layer mainly composed of urethane-modified epoxy resin is covered together with the base of the terminal insulating substrate protruding from the insulating substrate and the end of the insulating substrate. This urethane-modified epoxy resin is appropriately flexible and has excellent adhesion to a polyester film, a glass plate, or the like. Therefore, even if a bending force or a pulling force is applied to the terminal insulating substrate, the base portion of the terminal insulating substrate is fixed to the insulating substrate by the reinforcing layer, and thus can be easily peeled off from the insulating substrate. There is no deformation. Therefore, the connection between the first extraction circuit and the first extraction circuit does not become defective,
The durability is improved.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, 1 indicates a thickness of 0.5 to
This is a first insulating substrate, such as a glass plate of about 3 mm, which is not easily deformed. Reference numeral 2 denotes an ITO provided on the surface of the first insulating substrate 1.
This is a first electrode made of a transparent conductive film made of (indium oxide-tin oxide), SnO ₂ , ZnO, or the like and having a resistance value of 100Ω / □. 3 is connected to the first electrode 2 and the first
1 is a first drawing circuit made of conductive ink such as Ag ink provided on the surface of the insulating substrate 1 of FIG. Reference numeral 4 denotes a dot-shaped spacer provided on each surface of the first insulating substrate 1 and the first electrode 2 and having a bottom diameter of several tens of μm and a height of 5 to 10 μm. Made of epoxy-urethane resin, epoxy resin, urethane resin, acrylic resin and the like. Reference numeral 5 denotes a first adhesive layer provided on the end of the first insulating substrate 1 and the surface of the first lead-out circuit 3, and is made of a double-sided tape, an anisotropic conductive adhesive or the like. Note that the anisotropic conductive adhesive is a mixture of a conductive material and an adhesive, and exhibits conductivity during a relatively short distance in the thickness direction,
A substance having an insulating property is provided over a long distance in a planar direction. Examples of the conductive material include metal particles such as Ag, Ni, and solder, metal particles coated with Au or Ni, and particles made of particulate or short fibrous carbon, polystyrene or epoxy resin, and Ni particles made of polyurethane. The conductive particle composite plastics mixed with the above is used. As the adhesive, a synthetic rubber material such as chloroprene, a thermoplastic material such as polyester, SBS, SEBS, or polyvinyl butyral, or a thermosetting material such as an epoxy resin, a polyurethane, or an acrylic resin is used. Reference numeral 6 denotes a second adhesive layer made of an anisotropic conductive adhesive or the like, provided on the surface of the end of the first extraction circuit 3 opposite to the side connected to the first electrode 2.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a second insulating substrate made of a polymer film such as a polyester film having a thickness of 100 to 200 μm. Reference numeral 8 denotes a resistor having a resistance value of 1 made of ITO, SnO ₂ , ZnO, or the like provided on the surface of the second insulating substrate 7.
This is a second electrode made of a 00Ω / □ transparent conductive film. 9
Is a second lead-out circuit made of conductive ink and provided on the surface of the second insulating substrate 7 connected to the second electrode 8. Reference numeral 10 denotes a third adhesive layer made of an anisotropic conductive adhesive or the like, which is provided on the surface of the end of the second extraction circuit 9 opposite to the side connected to the second electrode 8.

The first insulating substrate 1 and the second insulating substrate 7 face each other with the first electrode 2 and the second electrode 8 facing each other and are bonded to each other at the first bonding layer 5. I have.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a flexible terminal insulating substrate made of a polymer film such as a narrow and long polyester film having a thickness of 20 to 75 μm, preferably about 25 μm, and has one end bent and folded. 12
Is a first extraction circuit provided from the other end of the outer surface of the terminal insulating substrate 11 to a position short of the bent portion 13.
The first extraction circuit 12 may be formed by applying an ink in which conductive particles such as silver or carbon are dispersed to a thermoplastic binder such as a polyester-based resin having good adhesion to the insulating substrate 11 for a terminal, or a copper foil or the like. It is formed by etching a metal foil such as an aluminum foil. This first extraction circuit 12
Are connected to the first drawing circuit 3 via the second adhesive layer 6. Reference numeral 14 denotes a second extraction made of the same material or the like as the first extraction circuit 12 and provided in parallel from the first extraction circuit 12 to one end to the other end of the outer surface of the terminal insulating substrate 11. Circuit. The second extraction circuit 14 is electrically connected to the second extraction circuit 9 via the third adhesive layer 10. Reference numeral 15 denotes the number of thicknesses provided on the surface of the first extraction circuit 12 and the second extraction circuit 14 up to a position before the connection between the first extraction circuit 12 and the first extraction circuit 3. A protective sheet such as a polyester adhesive tape of about 10 μm. This protection sheet 15
The first extraction circuit 12 and the second extraction circuit 14 have an action of preventing leakage of electric current and making disconnection difficult. In addition, the terminal insulating substrate is not provided with the first extraction circuit and the second extraction circuit but is provided with the first extraction circuit and the second extraction circuit. May be divided.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a reinforcing layer mainly composed of a urethane-modified epoxy resin. The reinforcing layer 16 covers the base 17 of the terminal insulating substrate 11 projecting from the first insulating substrate 1 and has the first insulating property. The end 18 of the substrate 1 is also covered. The urethane-modified epoxy resin is obtained by modifying a part of the epoxy resin by replacing it with a urethane component, and is generally a diglycidyl ether type (bisphenol A type). Further, in order to facilitate the coating operation, a low-viscosity diluent having an epoxy group in the molecule, such as 1,4 butadiol dicricidyl ether, may be used. Further, as the curing agent, triethylene triamine, triethylene glycol diamine, an aromatic amine, or the like is used. As the aromatic amine, metaphenylenediamine or polyamide is used. Note that the polyamide includes dicyandiamide and the like.

Next, a method of manufacturing the touch panel 19 will be described. First, a first insulating substrate 1 made of a glass plate or the like
A material such as ITO or SnO ₂ is attached to the surface of the substrate by a sputtering method, an ion plating method, a vacuum evaporation method, or the like to form a transparent conductive film. After forming the transparent conductive film, HC
The first conductive film 2 is formed by etching the transparent conductive film with an etchant such as l. After forming the first electrode 2, conductive ink is applied to the ends of the first insulating substrate 1 and the first electrode 2 by a screen printing method or the like to form a first lead-out circuit 3. After forming the first lead-out circuit 3, an anisotropic conductive adhesive or the like is screen-printed on the end surface of the first lead-out circuit 3 on the side opposite to the side connected to the first electrode 2. The second adhesive layer 6 is formed by coating.
Also, epoxy-urethane resin or epoxy resin, etc.
First by screen printing and photoresist method
The spacers 4 are provided by applying dots at predetermined intervals on the surfaces of the insulating substrate 1 and the first electrode 2. Then, a double-sided tape is attached to the end surface of the first insulating substrate 1 and the surface of the first lead-out circuit 3 or an anisotropic conductive adhesive is applied by screen printing or the like, and the first adhesive layer 5 is formed. To form When the first adhesive layer 5 is made of an anisotropic conductive adhesive or the like, the first adhesive layer 5 and the second adhesive layer 6 may be formed at the same time. As compared with the above, the production becomes easier, the automation becomes easier, and the production time can be shortened.

Similarly, a second electrode 8 made of a transparent conductive film such as ITO or SnO ₂ is formed on the surface of a second insulating substrate 7 made of a polymer film such as a polyester film. After the formation of the second electrode 8, a second lead-out circuit 9 made of Ag ink or the like and a third adhesive layer 10 made of an anisotropic conductive adhesive or the like are sequentially formed.

A conductive ink or the like is applied to the surface of the terminal insulating substrate 11 such as a polyester film by a screen printing method or a photoresist method, or a metal foil such as a copper foil or an aluminum foil is used in advance for the terminals. The first extraction circuit 12 and the second extraction circuit 14 are formed by attaching the metal foil to the surface of the insulating substrate 11 and etching the metal foil.

A second extraction circuit 1 provided with one end of the terminal insulating substrate 11 extended to the one end.
Fold it so that 4 faces outward. Next, the first extraction circuit 12 is connected to the first adhesive layer 5 provided on the surface of the first extraction circuit 3 by heat sealing or the like, and the second extraction circuit 14 is connected to the second extraction circuit 3. Circuit 9
Is connected to the third adhesive layer 10 provided on the surface of. Also, the first insulating substrate 1 and the second insulating substrate 7 are connected to the first adhesive layer 5.
Attach and paste at the position. After pasting, a substance containing a urethane-modified epoxy resin as a main component is applied to the root 17 of the terminal insulating substrate 11 protruding from the first insulating substrate 1 and the end portion 18 of the first insulating substrate 1, and Is formed.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The first insulating substrate is made of a glass plate having a thickness of 1 mm. A first insulating substrate made of ITO having a resistance value of 500Ω / □ is formed on the surface of the first insulating substrate.
Are provided. Further, a thickness of 8 to 1 made of Ag ink
A first extraction circuit of 0 μm is provided so as to be connected to the first electrode. The spacer is formed by applying a UV-curable epoxy-urethane-based resin by a screen printing method to form a dot having a bottom diameter of 40 μm. The first adhesive layer has a thickness of 5
A double-sided tape is used with a 0 μm polyester film as a core. The second adhesive layer is provided by screen-printing an anisotropic conductive adhesive obtained by mixing Ag metal particles and a polyester adhesive to a thickness of 10 μm. The second insulating substrate is made of a 125 μm-thick polyester film. This second insulating substrate is provided with a second electrode made of ITO having a resistance value of 500Ω / □. Then, the second extraction circuit and the third adhesive layer are provided by the same substance and the same method as the first extraction circuit and the second adhesive layer, respectively. further,
The terminal insulating substrate is made of a 25 μm-thick polyester film. Then, on the surface of the terminal insulating substrate, a first takeout circuit and a second takeout circuit are provided by dispersing silver in a polyester binder and screen-printing a conductive ink. Then, the bent portion of the terminal insulating substrate is sandwiched between the first insulating substrate and the second insulating substrate. Pressing with a thermal head at a temperature of 150 ° C. connects the first extraction circuit and the first extraction circuit, and the second extraction circuit and the second extraction circuit. The reinforcing layer is formed by applying a substance obtained by mixing triethylene glycol diamine at a ratio of 10 parts to 100 parts of a diglycidyl ether type urethane-modified epoxy resin.

[0019]

According to the present invention, the base of the terminal insulating substrate protruding from the insulating substrate and the end of the insulating substrate are covered with the reinforcing layer mainly composed of the urethane-modified epoxy resin. Therefore, it is possible to prevent poor connection between the circuit for taking out and the circuit for drawing out, and to obtain a touch panel capable of improving durability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a conventional touch panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... 1st insulating substrate, 2 ... 1st electrode, 3 ... 1st drawing circuit, 7 ... 2nd insulating substrate, 8 ... 2nd electrode, 9 ... 2nd drawing circuit, 11 ... Insulating substrate for terminal, 12: first extracting circuit, 14: second extracting circuit, 16: reinforcing layer, 17: root, 18: edge, 19: touch panel.

Claims (1)

[Claims] An insulating substrate provided with an electrode and a lead-out circuit connected to the electrode on the surface thereof is attached to each other so that the electrodes face each other, and the terminal take-out circuit of a terminal insulating substrate provided with a take-out circuit is provided. In the touch panel connected to the draw-out circuit, a root layer of the terminal insulating substrate protruding from the insulating substrate, and a reinforcing layer mainly composed of urethane-modified epoxy resin for covering together the end of the insulating substrate. A touch panel characterized by being provided.