Input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10761663-B2
Application number	US-201816155599-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2018
Priority date	May 12, 2016
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

An input device includes a translucent base material having flexibility, translucent first electrode parts arranged in a sensing region on the base material in a first direction, translucent second electrode parts arranged in the sensing region on the base material in a second direction crossing the first direction, and lead wires that are electrically continuous to the first electrode parts and second electrode parts, the lead wires extending from the sensing region on the base material to a peripheral region allocated outside the sensing region. A bent portion is provided in the peripheral region on the base material. Each lead wire has a flexible conductive member on the bent portion. A covering material is provided so as cover at least part of the flexible conductive member on the base material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An input device comprising:
a base made of a material having translucency and flexibility, a sensing region and a peripheral region outside the sensing region being defined on the base, the base having a bent portion provided in the peripheral region;
a plurality of first electrodes having translucency, the plurality of first electrodes being disposed in the sensing region on the base and arranged in a first direction;
a plurality of second electrodes having translucency, the plurality of second electrodes being disposed in the sensing region on the base and arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction;
a linking part having translucency and integrally formed with the plurality of first electrodes, the linking part connecting two adjacent electrodes of the plurality of first electrodes;
a first bridge connecting part formed over the linking part with a first insulating layer interposed therebetween, the first bridge connecting part electrically connecting two adjacent electrodes of the plurality of second electrodes;
a plurality of lead wires electrically connected to the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes, the plurality of lead wires extending from within the sensing region to the peripheral region on the base, each of the plurality of lead wires including:
a first wire portion having translucency and disposed in the peripheral region closer to the sensing region with respect to the bent portion;
a second wire portion disposed in the peripheral region farther from the sensing region with respect to the bent portion; and
a flexible conductive member provided on the bent portion between the first wire portion and the second wire portion, so as to electrically connect the first wire portion and the second wire portion; and

a covering material disposed so as to cover at least part of the flexible conductive member on the bent portion,
wherein the plurality of second electrodes include at least one divided electrode divided into a pair of electrode parts so as to provide a wire path therebetween extending in the first direction, such that at least one of the plurality of lead wires extends through the wire path and electrically connects to another of the plurality of second electrodes,
and wherein the input device further comprises:
a second bridge connecting part formed across the wire path and the lead wire therein so as to electrically connect the corresponding pair of electrode parts; and
a second insulating layer interposed between the second bridge connecting part and the lead wire.

2. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the covering material is made of a resin-based material.

3. The input device according to claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcing member that lowers a degree of bending of the flexible conductive member.

4. The input device according to claim 3 , wherein the reinforcing member is formed of a reinforcing film provided on the base on an opposite side of the bent portion on which the flexible conductive member is disposed.

5. The input device according to claim 1 , further comprising an optical adhesive layer provided so as to cover the sensing region on the base.

6. The input device according to claim 5 , wherein the optical adhesive layer extends from the sensing region toward the peripheral region so as to form a laminated structure including the flexible conductive member, the covering material, and the optical adhesive layer.

7. The input device according to claim 5 , wherein the optical adhesive layer extends from the sensing region toward the peripheral region so as not to cover a bent portion of the flexible conductive member.

8. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible conductive member is formed of a flexible laminated body including:
a first amorphous ITO layer provided on the base;
a conductive layer provided on the first amorphous ITO layer; and
a second amorphous ITO layer provided on the conductive layer.

9. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the peripheral region of the base extends from the sensing region toward the bent portion in a first direction, and the part of the peripheral region of the base further extends from the bent portion farther away from the sensing region in a second direction different from the first direction.

10. An input device comprising:
a base made of a material having translucency and flexibility, a sensing region and a peripheral region outside the sensing region being defined on the base, the base having a bent portion in the peripheral region;
a plurality of first electrodes having translucency, the plurality of first electrodes being disposed in the sensing region on the base and arranged in a first direction;
a plurality of second electrodes having translucency, the plurality of second electrodes being disposed in the sensing region on the base and arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction;
a linking part having translucency and integrally formed with the plurality of first electrodes, the linking part connecting two adjacent electrodes of the plurality of first electrodes;
a first bridge connecting part formed over the linking part with a first insulating layer interposed therebetween, the first bridge connecting part electrically connecting two adjacent electrodes of the plurality of second electrodes;
a plurality of lead wires electrically connected to the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes, the plurality of lead wires extending from within the sensing region to the peripheral region on the base, each of the plurality of lead wires having a flexible conductive member provided on the bent portion; and
a covering material disposed so as to cover at least part of the flexible conductive member on the bent portion,
wherein the plurality of second electrodes include at least one divided electrode divided into a pair electrode parts so as to provide a wire path therebetween extending in the first direction, such that at least one of the plurality of lead wires extends through the wire path and electrically connects to another of the plurality of second electrodes,
and wherein the input device further comprises:
a second bridge connecting part formed across the wire path and the lead wire therein so as to electrically connect the corresponding pair of electrode parts; and
a second insulating layer interposed between the second bridge connecting part and the lead wire.

11. The input device according to claim 10 , wherein the covering material is made of a resin-based material.

12. The input device according to claim 10 , further comprising a reinforcing member that lowers a degree of bending of the flexible conductive member.

13. The input device according to claim 12 , wherein the reinforcing member is formed of a reinforcing film provided on the base on an opposite side of the bent portion on which the flexible conductive member is disposed.

14. The input device according to claim 10 , further comprising an optical adhesive layer provided so as to cover the sensing region on the base.

15. The input device according to claim 14 , wherein the optical adhesive layer extends from the sensing region toward the peripheral region so as to form a laminated structure including the flexible conductive member, the covering material, and the optical adhesive layer.

16. The input device according to claim 14 , wherein the optical adhesive layer extends from the sensing region toward the peripheral region so as not to cover a bent portion of

Assignees

• Alps Alpine Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wada Suguru
• Sawada Toru
• Hashida Junji
• Masumoto Yoshifumi
• Horino Takenobu
• Matsuda Atsushi
• Takeda Akihiro
• Tsukamoto Koji
• Takahashi Toru
• Sato Minoru

Classifications

• G06F2203/04112

  Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material · CPC title

• G06F2203/04111

  Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate · CPC title

• G06F3/04164 Primary

  Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads · CPC title

• G06F3/0446

  using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes · CPC title

• G06F3/0443

  using a single layer of sensing electrodes · CPC title