Touch module and touch screen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016349879-A1
Application number	US-201615090339-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 4, 2016
Priority date	May 27, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a touch module, a light emitted by the light source undergoes a total reflection in the third substrate. when a first spacer is pressed against a third substrate by pressing a location on a second substrate, the light undergoing the total reflection in the third substrate escapes out of the third substrate and irradiates onto a photosensitive part corresponding to the pressed first spacer, the irradiated photosensitive part generates an electrical signal, and a pressed location on the second substrate is determined by detecting the electrical signal transmitted to an optical current detection line electrically connected to the irradiated photosensitive part. The touch module may reduce the cost and is adapted to be applied to a large size touch screen.

First claim

1 . A touch module, comprising:
a first substrate and a second substrate provided opposite to each other; a plurality of photosensitive parts arranged in an array on one side of the first substrate facing the second substrate; a plurality of optical current detection lines electrically connected to the plurality of photosensitive parts, respectively; a plurality of first spacers provided on one side of the second substrate facing the first substrate; a third substrate located between the first substrate and the second substrate and separated from the first spacer on the second substrate; and at least one light source provided at a side edge of the third substrate, wherein a light emitted by the light source undergoes a total reflection in the third substrate, when the first spacer is pressed against the third substrate by pressing a location on the second substrate, the light undergoing the total reflection in the third substrate escapes out of the third substrate and irradiates onto the photosensitive part corresponding to the pressed first spacer, the irradiated photosensitive part generates an electrical signal, and a pressed location on the second substrate is determined by detecting the electrical signal transmitted to the optical current detection line electrically connected to the irradiated photosensitive part.

2 . The touch module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the touch module comprises a plurality of strip-like third substrates independent from each other, the third substrates each corresponds to one row of photosensitive parts or one column of photosensitive parts, and the third substrates each is provided with the light source at the side edge thereof.

3 . The touch module according to claim 1 , wherein the third substrate is made of organic glass.

4 . The touch module according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the first spacer facing the third substrate is formed in a spherical crown shape.

5 . The touch module according to claim 1 , wherein the first spacer is made of quartz or glass.

6 . The touch module according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of second spacers located between the first substrate and the third substrate; and a plurality of third spacers located between the second substrate and the third substrate, wherein the third spacer has a height larger than that of the first spacer.

7 . The touch module according to claim 6 , wherein the second spacer and the third spacer are made of elastic material.

8 . The touch module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the optical current detection line comprises a plurality of first optical current detection lines electrically isolated from each other and a plurality of second current detection lines electrically isolated from each other; and wherein each row of photosensitive parts are electrically connected to respective one of the first optical current detection lines, each column of photosensitive parts are electrically connected to respective one of the second current detection lines.

9 . A touch screen, comprising:
a display panel; and the touch module, according to claim 1 , provided at a light output side of the display panel.

10 . The touch screen according to claim 9 , wherein the first substrate of the touch module is used as a substrate provided at the light output side of the display panel.

11 . A touch module, comprising:
a first substrate and a second substrate provided opposite to each other; a plurality of touch scanning lines located on one side of the first substrate facing the second substrate and electrically isolated from each other; a third substrate located between the first substrate and the second substrate and separated from the second substrate; at least one ultrasonic generator provided at a side edge of the third substrate; and at least one ultrasonic receiver provided at the other side edge of the third substrate opposite to the ultrasonic generator, wherein a ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic generator undergoes a total reflection in the third substrate, when a location of the second substrate is pressed to become in contact with a location of the third substrate, a part of the ultrasonic wave undergoing the total reflection in the third substrate escapes out of the third substrate, and an intensity of the ultrasonic wave received by the ultrasonic receiver, corresponding to a contacted location on the third substrate, becomes weak, and a pressed location on the second substrate is determined by detecting a condition where the intensity of the ultrasonic wave received by the ultrasonic receiver becomes weak during loading a touch scan signal in turn on the touch scanning lines.

12 . The touch module according to claim 11 ,
wherein the touch module comprises a plurality of strip-like third substrates independent from each other, the third substrates each is provided to across the touch scanning lines, and the ultrasonic generator and the ultrasonic receiver are provided at opposite side edges of each of the third substrates, respectively.

13 . The touch module according to claim 11 , wherein the third substrate is made of organic glass.

14 . The touch module according to claim 11 , wherein the second substrate is made of organic glass.

15 . The touch module according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a plurality of second spacers located between the first substrate and the third substrate; and a plurality of third spacers located between the second substrate and the third substrate.

16 . The touch module according to claim 15 , wherein the second spacer and the third spacer are made of elastic material.

17 . A touch screen, comprising:
a display panel; and the touch module, according to claim 11 , provided at a light output side of the display panel.

18 . The touch screen according to claim 17 , wherein the first substrate of the touch module is used as a substrate provided at the light output side of the display panel.

19 . The touch screen according to claim 18 , wherein a shielding electrode of the display panel is used as the touch scanning line of the touch module.

Assignees

• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd
• Beijing Boe Display Tech Co

Inventors

• Wang Mingchao
• Wang Junwei

Classifications

• G06F2203/04109

  FTIR in optical digitiser, i.e. touch detection by frustrating the total internal reflection within an optical waveguide due to changes of optical properties or deformation at the touch location · CPC title

• G06F3/0436 Primary

  in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate · CPC title

• G06F3/0421

  by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen · CPC title

• G06F2203/04103

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

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title