KR101320525B1

KR101320525B1 - Touch panel and manufacturing method thereof

Info

Publication number: KR101320525B1
Application number: KR1020120127589A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 배삼한
Original assignee: 일신전자 주식회사
Priority date: 2012-11-12
Filing date: 2012-11-12
Publication date: 2013-10-23

Abstract

PURPOSE: A touch panel and a manufacturing method are provided to extend a touched area between a patterned electrode unit and a connection electrode unit for connecting the electrode unit to a terminal unit, thereby increasing connection reliability and an associative property. CONSTITUTION: A Y-axis connection electrode unit (140) for connecting patterns of an X-axis transparent electrode unit (120) and a Y-axis transparent electrode unit (130) is formed on a substrate having a terminal unit (150) in order to connect an electrode pattern of a touch panel to the outside. A pattern expressed to a Y-axis direction is formed on an upper part of the X-axis transparent electrode unit and the Y-axis connection electrode unit by a photosensitive film (160). The Y-axis transparent electrode unit, which is insulated with the X-axis transparent electrode unit, is formed and is connected to the Y-axis connection electrode unit by using conductive ink (170). The Y-axis transparent electrode unit and the photosensitive film form a via-hole for conductive ink filling in one side of a part, which the Y-axis transparent electrode unit and the Y-axis connection electrode unit are connected by the conductive ink, and reinforce electrical connection.

Description

TOUCH PANEL AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

The present invention relates to a manufacturing technology of a touch panel used for a screen input display device, etc., and more particularly, to realize a cost reduction effect for economic efficiency as well as a thickness reduction effect for slimming, and to manufacture a durable product. The present invention relates to a touch panel and a method of manufacturing the same.

A screen input type display device is a device for sensing an electronic device including a display screen control by detecting a user's contact point on a display screen and using information on the detected contact point as input information. (Touch) A touch panel having an X-axis transparent electrode and a Y-axis transparent electrode is included as an essential component in order to detect a user's contact position through coordinate recognition.

The touch panel may be classified into an add-on method, a cover glass integrated method, and a display integrated method according to the X-axis transparent electrode and the Y-axis transparent electrode.

In this case, the Add-on method is a method of independently manufacturing the X-axis transparent electrode and the Y-axis transparent electrode and attaching it to the cover glass which is tempered glass. The film type has one cover glass and two deposited ITO films. And a glass type having one cover glass and one deposition glass.

The cover glass integrated method is a method of depositing an X-axis transparent electrode and a Y-axis transparent electrode on the cover glass, which is tempered glass, and has two glasses, but an insulating layer made of an insulating material between the two glasses for insulation between electrodes. There is a G2 type to be formed, which is the most widely used method in the art industry in recent years.

The display integrated method is a method of depositing and forming an X-axis transparent electrode and a Y-axis transparent electrode in the manufacturing process of the display panel.

However, the Add-on method and the integrated cover glass method have a problem in that the yield is not good, and the display integrated method has a low yield, a process is additionally made, and there is a difficulty in making it expensive.

On the other hand, looking at the prior art related to the touch panel, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2010-0119711 "A transparent plastic film or glass and the like can be manufactured using a pair of transparent substrate and spaced apart And a connection terminal provided on at least one surface of the pair of transparent substrates facing each other, and disposed between the pair of transparent substrates, one surface of which is electrically connected to the connection terminal, A wiring board having a surface spaced apart from the other transparent substrate on which the connecting terminal is provided, and the area where the wiring board is arranged while the wiring board and the connecting terminal are connected. A touch panel having an insulating layer provided in a gap of the pair of transparent substrates and a method of manufacturing the same). It is proposed a technique that makes it possible to stably obtain a touch panel in which the gap between two transparent substrates is uniform in the plane so that the gap between the plates becomes a desired gap.

In addition, Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2011-0110513 discloses "a transparent substrate that can be manufactured using a material such as a transparent plastic film or glass; formed on the transparent substrate and the capacitance changes due to the approach of the body part. And a low resistance pattern portion including a transparent electrode pattern portion including a transparent electrode, and a low resistance electrode formed on a material having a lower resistance coefficient than the transparent electrode and formed on the transparent electrode. The pattern part is touch panel sensor which is formed in the shape of regular or irregular curve or regular or irregular bend. " It proposes a technology that provides a touch panel sensor with a small area limitation and excellent transparency and clarity.

However, in the manufacturing technology of the conventional touch panel including the above-described prior art, most of them use two films or glasses to form the X-axis transparent electrode and the Y-axis transparent electrode for the recognition of touch coordinates. Due to the overlapping use, it was difficult to realize the slimming of the screen input display device.

In addition, each process for forming the X-axis transparent electrode and the Y-axis transparent electrode must be performed, as well as a process of forming an insulating layer by an insulating material between the X-axis transparent electrode and the Y-axis transparent electrode for insulation between the electrodes There was a problem that the overall manufacturing process, such as this is required, the yield is lowered, and there is a problem that is also difficult to reduce the manufacturing cost of the touch panel.

The present invention has been made in view of solving the above-mentioned conventional problems and the like, and to provide a touch panel and a method of manufacturing the same to realize a cost-saving effect for economics as well as a thickness reduction effect for slimming. have.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel and a method of manufacturing the same for increasing durability by increasing connection reliability and bonding between an electrode pattern and a connecting electrode for connecting the electrode pattern to a terminal unit.

An object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel and a method of manufacturing the same to improve the yield of the product.

In the touch panel according to the present invention for achieving the above object, in the touch panel having a substrate, a display area on the substrate including a screen area on which the display screen is expressed and a bezel area located outside the screen area,

Y-axis connecting electrode for connecting the X-axis transparent electrode portion and the Y-axis transparent electrode portion pattern by the pattern expressed in the X-axis direction on the substrate having the terminal portion for connecting the electrode pattern of the touch panel to the terminal side Wealth is formed,

On the X-axis transparent electrode portion and the Y-axis connecting electrode portion, a pattern expressed in the Y-axis direction by a photosensitive film is formed, and a Y-axis transparent electrode portion which is insulated from the X-axis transparent electrode portion is formed. Characterized in that the structure is connected to the connecting electrode portion and the conductive ink.

On the other hand, the manufacturing method of the touch panel according to the present invention for achieving the above object, a) forming an X-axis transparent electrode having a plurality of X-axis pattern to be used for the touch electrode through the patterning on the substrate; Y-axis for connecting the Y-axis transparent electrode portion having a plurality of Y-axis patterns to be used for the touch electrode, and forming a wiring connecting the terminal portion with respect to the pattern of the X-axis transparent electrode portion to the terminal portion Forming a connection electrode together with the X-axis transparent electrode;

b) attaching the photosensitive film having the transparent conductive layer laminated on the resultant of step a), and forming a Y-axis transparent electrode having a plurality of Y-axis patterns on the photosensitive film through etching;

c) electrically connecting the pattern end of the Y-axis transparent electrode part of step b) and the Y-axis connecting electrode part of step a) by applying a conductive ink; And a control unit.

According to the present invention, by processing two sheets of transparent conductive film or glass, which has been conventionally used in general, in one sheet, the touch panel can be implemented and manufactured, and the process can be reduced and the user materials can be reduced while the slimness can be pursued by the thickness reduction effect. Economics can be pursued by cost reduction effect, and the improvement of manufacturing technology can achieve usefulness that can improve the yield of products.

In addition, the present invention can widen the contact area between the electrode portion to be patterned and the connecting electrode portion for connecting it to the terminal portion can not only increase the bondability and connection reliability, but also achieve the usefulness of increasing the durability of the product. .

1 is a plan view showing a touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a detailed cross-sectional view showing the main portion of the touch panel according to the embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a schematic process flow diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing a touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a schematic process flow diagram illustrating a method of manufacturing a touch panel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2, the touch panel 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a substrate 110, but the screen area A on which the display screen is displayed and the screen area are displayed on the substrate 110. The bezel region B located on the outside will be arranged separately.

The bezel area B on the substrate 110 is provided with a terminal portion 150, which is configured to connect the patterned electrode patterns of the X-axis transparent electrode portion 120 and the Y-axis transparent electrode portion 130 to the outside. to be.

In addition, the Y-axis connection for connecting the pattern of the X-axis transparent electrode portion 120 and the Y-axis transparent electrode portion 130 by the pattern expressed in the X-axis direction on the substrate 110 on the terminal portion 150 side. The electrode unit 140 is formed, and a pattern expressed in the Y-axis direction by the photosensitive film 160 is formed on the X-axis transparent electrode unit 120 and the Y-axis connecting electrode unit 140, and the X-axis transparent electrode is formed. The Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130 is formed to be insulated from the unit 120, but is configured to have a structure in which the Y-axis connecting electrode unit 140 is connected to the conductive ink 170.

In this case, the X-axis transparent electrode portion 120 and the Y-axis transparent electrode portion 130 are formed in the screen area A, and the Y-axis connecting electrode portion 140 is formed on the bezel area B. desirable.

The X-axis transparent electrode 120, the Y-axis connecting electrode 140, and the terminal 150 formed on the substrate 110 have a transparent conductive film formed or formed on a base material 111 of a transparent plastic film or glass. It may be formed through an etching process by a known photolithography process including exposure and development in a state where the conductive film is attached, and sometimes ITO (indium tin oxide), which is a material of the transparent conductive film or transparent conductive film, It may also be formed by printing a transparent conductive material such as indium zinc oxide (IZN), zinc oxide (ZnO) or silver nanowires on the base material.

The Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130 is formed through a transparent conductive film attached on the photosensitive film 160 or a transparent conductive film made of a printed transparent conductive material or silver nanowire, and performs a photosensitive reaction of the photosensitive film 160. It is formed by the etching treatment method used.

This is due to an etching process by a known photolithography process including exposure and development, wherein the photosensitive film 160 used as an insulating film is involved in the pattern formation of the Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130. Along with the X-axis transparent electrode unit 120, the natural layer functions as an insulating layer that serves as an interlayer insulating role, thereby inducing the effect of removing the insulating layer and the thickness reduction effect.

The conductive ink 170 is intended to increase connection reliability and durability by increasing the contact area between the Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130 and the Y-axis connection electrode unit 140.

In this case, the Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130 and the photosensitive film 160 are electrically conductive to one side of a portion where the Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130 and the Y-axis connecting electrode unit 140 are connected by the conductive ink 170. The conductive ink 170 applied by forming the ink filling via hole H1 fills the via hole H1, thereby reinforcing and coupling strength of the electrical connection by the role of the ring, and increase durability.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the touch panel 100 having the above configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

a) forming an X-axis transparent electrode portion 120 having a plurality of X-axis patterns to be used for the touch electrode through patterning on the substrate 110 and for the pattern of the X-axis transparent electrode portion 120 A wire for connecting the terminal unit 150 to a corresponding position of the bezel area, and Y for connecting the Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130 having a plurality of Y-axis patterns to be used for the touch electrode to the terminal unit 150 Forming the axis connecting electrode part 140 together with the formation of the X-axis transparent electrode part 120;

b) a photosensitive film 160 having a transparent conductive film 101 laminated by a transparent conductive film or a transparent conductive film on the resultant of step a) is attached through lamination or the like, and then includes exposure and development. Forming a Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130 having a plurality of Y-axis patterns on the photosensitive film 160 through an etching process by a photolithography process;

c) applying the electrically conductive ink 170 to the pattern end of the Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130 of step b) and the Y-axis connecting electrode unit 140 of step a) to electrically connect the pattern end. .

In this case, in step b), after forming the via hole H1 for filling the conductive ink on the photosensitive film 160 having the transparent conductive film 101 or the transparent conductive film laminated thereon, the result of the step a) is obtained. The photosensitive film 160 having the transparent conductive layer formed by the transparent conductive film or the transparent conductive film stacked thereon may be attached through laminating or the like.

When the conductive ink 170 is coated in step c), the conductive ink 170 is filled in the via hole H1 so that the Y-axis transparent electrode part formed by the transparent conductive layer 101 by the transparent conductive film or the transparent conductive film ( 130) and the electrical connection between the Y-axis connection electrode unit 140 formed in step a) (S1) can increase the reinforcement and bonding strength, thereby increasing durability.

(First embodiment)

As shown in (a) of FIG. 3, the substrate 110 in step a) may use any one of transparent plastic films such as polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polyimide (PI), polycarbonate (PC), and polyethersulfone (PES). Or a transparent conductive layer 112 formed by a transparent conductive film on the base material 111 or by attaching a transparent conductive film by laminating or the like. Can be.

In this case, the transparent conductive layer 112 may be formed of a transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZN), or zinc oxide (ZnO), or silver nano wires.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the transparent conductive layer 112 is etched to form an X-axis transparent layer having a plurality of X-axis patterns described in step a) on the screen region and the bezel region of the substrate 110. The electrode unit 120, the wiring, the Y-axis connecting electrode unit 140, and the terminal unit 150 may be simultaneously formed on the same step.

In this case, the etching process may be performed through a known photolithography process including exposure and development, or a laser etching method may be applied.

The terminal unit 150 may be formed separately by attaching or printing on the substrate 110.

As shown in FIG. 3C, the X-axis transparent electrode unit 120, the Y-axis connection electrode unit 140, and the terminal unit 150 having a plurality of X-axis patterns are simultaneously formed on the substrate 110. The photosensitive film 160 having the transparent conductive layer 101 formed of the transparent conductive film or the transparent conductive film on the upper portion of the resultant is attached by laminating or the like.

At this time, on the photosensitive film 160 in which the transparent conductive layer 101 by the transparent conductive film or the transparent conductive film is stacked, as shown in FIG. 2, the conductive ink filling via hole H1 may be attached. The via hole H1 may be formed by drilling using a numerical control or laser such as NC or CNC.

Subsequently, as shown in (d) of FIG. 3, an unnecessary portion of the transparent conductive layer 101 is removed through an etching process by a known photolithography process including exposure and development on the photosensitive film 160. A Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130 having a plurality of Y-axis patterns is formed.

At this time, the photosensitive film 160 is an insulating film having a photosensitive action, and is involved in the pattern formation of the Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130 by a photosensitive reaction, and serves as an interlayer insulating role with the X-axis transparent electrode unit 120. As a natural function as the insulating layer, it is possible to derive the effect of removing the insulating layer formed separately and the thickness reduction effect.

As shown in (e) of FIG. 3, the conductive connection part is formed by applying a conductive ink 170 so that electrical connection is made between the pattern end of the Y-axis transparent electrode part 130 and the Y-axis connection electrode part 140. .

The conductive connection portion formed by the conductive ink 170 may be formed by applying an ink such as silver or copper, and using a metal material having excellent conductivity such as copper or molybdenum, but using electroplating and physical vapor deposition. It may be formed by any one method selected from chemical vapor deposition.

In this case, when the via hole H1 is formed on the photosensitive film 160 as shown in FIG. 2, the conductive ink 170 to be applied reinforces the electrical connection by the role of the ring by filling the via hole H1. It can increase the bonding strength and can have more increased durability.

(Second embodiment)

As shown in (a) of FIG. 4, the substrate 110 in the step a) is made of a base material 111 made of a material described in the first embodiment.

As shown in (b) of FIG. 4, a transparent conductive material such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZN), or zinc oxide (ZnO) or silver nano wire is used alone as the base material. By printing on the substrate 110, the X-axis transparent electrode portion 120 having a plurality of X-axis patterns described in step a) and wiring, and the Y-axis connecting electrode portion on the screen region and the bezel region of the substrate 110. 140 and the terminal portion 150 can be formed simultaneously on the same step.

In this case, the terminal unit 150 may be formed separately by attaching or printing on the substrate 110.

As shown in FIG. 4C, the X-axis transparent electrode unit 120, the Y-axis connection electrode unit 140, and the terminal unit 150 having a plurality of X-axis patterns are simultaneously formed on the substrate 110. The photosensitive film 160 having the transparent conductive layer 101 laminated by the transparent conductive film or the transparent conductive film on the upper part of the resultant is attached through laminating or the like.

At this time, on the photosensitive film 160 in which the transparent conductive layer 101 by the transparent conductive film or the transparent conductive film is laminated, a conductive hole filling via hole H1 as shown in FIG. 2 may be used.

Subsequently, as shown in (d) of FIG. 4, an unnecessary portion of the transparent conductive layer 101 is removed through an etching process by a known photolithography process including exposure and development on the photosensitive film 160. A Y-axis transparent electrode unit 130 having a plurality of Y-axis patterns is formed.

As shown in (e) of FIG. 4, the conductive connection part is formed by applying a conductive ink 170 such that electrical connection is made between the pattern end of the Y-axis transparent electrode part 130 and the Y-axis connection electrode part 140. .

Therefore, according to the present invention, the thickness and the cost can be reduced, the yield can be increased, the connection reliability of the conductive part can be increased, and the touch panel 100 having durability can be manufactured.

The embodiments described above are merely to describe preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not limited to these embodiments, and may be modified, substituted, or modified with respect to the X-axis or the Y-axis. It will be within the scope of the present invention.

100: touch panel
101: transparent conductive layer 110: substrate
120: X-axis transparent electrode portion 130: Y-axis transparent electrode portion
140: Y-axis connecting electrode portion 150: terminal portion
160: photosensitive film 170: conductive ink
H1: Beer Hall

Claims

A touch panel having a substrate, wherein the touch panel includes a screen area on which a display screen is displayed and a bezel area positioned outside the screen area.
Y-axis connecting electrode for connecting the X-axis transparent electrode portion and the Y-axis transparent electrode portion pattern by the pattern expressed in the X-axis direction on the substrate having the terminal portion for connecting the electrode pattern of the touch panel to the terminal side Wealth is formed,
On the X-axis transparent electrode portion and the Y-axis connecting electrode portion, a pattern expressed in the Y-axis direction by a photosensitive film is formed, and a Y-axis transparent electrode portion which is insulated from the X-axis transparent electrode portion is formed. Touch panel, characterized in that the structure is connected to the connecting electrode portion and the conductive ink.

The method of claim 1,
In the Y-axis transparent electrode and the photosensitive film, a conductive hole filling via hole is formed at one side of the portion where the Y-axis transparent electrode and the Y-axis connecting electrode are connected by a conductive ink so as to reinforce the electrical connection. Touch panel.

a) forming an X-axis transparent electrode portion having a plurality of X-axis patterns to be used for touch electrodes through patterning on top of the substrate, and connecting the wirings connecting the terminal portions to the pattern of the X-axis transparent electrode portions to correspond to the bezel region; Forming a Y-axis connecting electrode portion for forming the position and connecting the Y-axis transparent electrode portion having a plurality of Y-axis patterns to be used for the touch electrode to the terminal portion when forming the X-axis transparent electrode portion;
b) attaching the photosensitive film having the transparent conductive layer laminated on the resultant of step a), and forming a Y-axis transparent electrode having a plurality of Y-axis patterns on the photosensitive film through etching;
c) electrically connecting the pattern end of the Y-axis transparent electrode part of step b) and the Y-axis connecting electrode part of step a) by applying a conductive ink; Method of manufacturing a touch panel comprising a.

The method of claim 3, wherein
In the step b), a via hole for conductive ink filling is formed on the photosensitive film on which the transparent conductive layer is stacked, and then the conductive ink of step c) is attached by attaching the photosensitive film on which the transparent conductive layer is laminated on the resultant. Method of manufacturing a touch panel characterized in that the conductive ink is filled in the via hole when the coating is applied to reinforce the electrical connection between the Y-axis transparent electrode portion formed by the transparent conductive layer and the Y-axis connecting electrode portion formed in step a). .

The method according to claim 3 or 4,
The transparent conductive layer is a method of manufacturing a touch panel, characterized in that formed of a transparent conductive material or silver nanowires.