Touch sensor stack structure and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11320943-B2
Application number	US-202117195886-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2021
Priority date	Mar 16, 2020
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

A touch sensor stack structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a touch sensor structure including a bonding portion, a circuit connection structure bonded to the bonding portion of the touch sensor structure, and an optical film stacked on the touch sensor structure. The optical film includes a protrusion covering an end portion of the circuit connection structure and overlapping the bonding portion. Damages of electrodes included in the touch sensor structure can be prevented by the optical film.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A touch sensor stack structure, comprising:
a touch sensor structure having a substrate, sensing electrodes arranged on the substrate, and a bonding portion including pad portions electrically connected to the sensing electrodes;
a circuit connection structure having an end portion bonded to the bonding portion of the touch sensor structure; and
an optical film stacked on the touch sensor structure, the optical film comprising a protrusion covering the end portion of the circuit connection structure and overlapping the bonding portion,
wherein a width of the protrusion of the optical film is larger than a width of the bonding portion of the touch sensor structure in a planar view.

2. The touch sensor stack structure according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion of the optical film includes a wing portion protruding from a lateral side of the bonding portion in a planar view.

3. The touch sensor stack structure according to claim 1 , wherein a width of the wing portion is from 0.1 μm to about 50 μm.

4. The touch sensor stack structure according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit connection structure is electrically connected to the pad portions, and the circuit connection structure includes a flexible printed circuit board.

5. The touch sensor stack structure according to claim 1 , wherein the optical film includes a polarizing plate.

6. The touch sensor stack structure according to claim 1 , wherein the bonding portion protrudes from one side of the touch sensor structure, and the protrusion of the optical film extends from one side of the optical film; and
the protrusion of the optical film has a width greater than a width of the bonding portion of the touch sensor structure.

7. A window stack structure, comprising:
the touch sensor stack structure of claim 1 ; and
a window substrate disposed on the touch sensor stack structure.

8. The window stack structure according to claim 7 , wherein the optical film of the touch sensor stack structure comprises a polarizing plate; and
the optical film is disposed between the window substrate and the touch sensor structure.

9. An image display device, comprising:
a display panel; and
the touch sensor stack structure of claim 1 stacked on the display panel.

10. A method of manufacturing a touch sensor stack structure, the method comprising:
preparing a touch sensor structure having a substrate, sensing electrodes arranged on the substrate, and pad portions electrically connected to the sensing electrodes;
partially removing an end portion of the touch sensor structure by a first cutting process to form a bonding portion including the pad portions;
bonding a circuit connection structure on an end portion of the bonding portion;
forming an optical film on the touch sensor structure to cover the end portion of the circuit connection structure; and
cutting portions of the touch sensor structure and the optical film around the bonding portion by a second cutting process to form a protrusion of the optical film,
wherein a width of the protrusion of the optical film is larger than a width of the bonding portion of the touch sensor structure in a planar view.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the end portion of the touch sensor structure comprises a bonding area and margin areas adjacent to both sides of the bonding area; and
the first cutting process comprises cutting the margin areas.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the first cutting process comprises forming an alignment key at a corner portion of the touch sensor structure.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the second cutting process comprises aligning a cutting tool with reference to the alignment key.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the second cutting process comprises cutting the corner portion at which the alignment key is formed.

15. A method of manufacturing a touch sensor stack structure, the method comprising:
preparing a touch sensor structure;
partially removing an end portion of the touch sensor structure by a first cutting process to form a bonding portion;
bonding a circuit connection structure on an end portion of the bonding portion;
forming an optical film on the touch sensor structure to cover the end portion of the circuit connection structure; and
cutting portions of the touch sensor structure and the optical film around the bonding portion by a second cutting process,
wherein the first cutting process comprises forming an alignment key at a corner portion of the touch sensor structure.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the second cutting process comprises aligning a cutting tool with reference to the alignment key.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the second cutting process comprises cutting the corner portion at which the alignment key is formed.

Assignees

• Dongwoo Fine Chem Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shin Hyun Min
• Kim Heon

Classifications

• G02F1/13338

  Input devices, e.g. touch panels · CPC title

• G06F2203/04103

  Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices · CPC title

• G06F3/0443 Primary

  using a single layer of sensing electrodes · 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

• G06F3/0412 Primary

  Digitisers structurally integrated in a display · CPC title