Touch sensor and touch sensor manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9383846-B2
Application number	US-201414903791-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 23, 2014
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

In a flexible printed circuit (FPC) connection structure for a touch sensor, corrosion of an electrode terminal is prevented without reducing connection reliability. In a touch sensor, a tip of a first passivation layer and a tip of an FPC wiring are spaced apart from one another, and consequently an exposed portion, which is adjacent to a tipmost part and is not covered by the first passivation layer, is formed on a connection terminal. An FPC film includes a tip, which further extends from the FPC wiring and extends to a location at which it overlaps, in a plan view, the first passivation layer, and thereby a space is formed between the tip and the exposed portion. The touch sensor further includes an anti-rust material, which fills the space and thereby covers the exposed portion of the connection terminal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A touch sensor, comprising:
a touch input sheet including: a base material; a connection terminal formed on the base material; and an insulating film that covers at least part of a base-end side of the connection terminal, excluding a tip part of the connection terminal;
a flexible circuit board including an FPC film and an FPC wiring formed on the FPC film; and
an electrically conductive adhesive bonding a tipmost part of the connection terminal and the FPC wiring; such that
a tip of the insulating film and a tip of the FPC wiring are spaced apart from one another, such that an exposed portion adjacent to the tipmost part and not covered by the insulating film is formed on the connection terminal;
the FPC film includes a protruding part further extending from the FPC wiring and extending to a location at which it overlaps, in a plan view, the insulating film, such that a space is formed between the protruding part and the exposed portion; and
the touch sensor further includes an anti-rust material filling the space so as to cover the exposed portion of the connection terminal.

2. The touch sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the anti-rust material fills the space such that the insulating film disposed inside the space and the FPC film are isolated from one another.

3. The touch sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the viscosity of the anti-rust material when being filled in the space is less than 400 MPa·s.

4. The touch sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the touch input sheet further includes an opposing layer formed on the base material and opposing, across a gap, a tip surface of the protruding part of the FPC film.

5. The touch sensor according to claim 4 , wherein
the opposing layer includes an edge part surrounding a portion of the base material wherein the FPC film is connected; and
the insulating film is formed into a strip shape along the edge part of the opposing layer.

6. The touch sensor according to claim 2 , wherein
the viscosity of the anti-rust material when being filled in the space is less than 400 MP·s.

7. The touch sensor according to claim 6 , wherein
the touch input sheet further includes an opposing layer formed on the base material and opposing, across a gap, a tip surface of the protruding part of the FPC film.

8. The touch sensor according to claim 7 , wherein
the opposing layer includes an edge part surrounding a portion of the base material wherein the FPC film is connected; and
the insulating film is formed into a strip shape along the edge part of the opposing layer.

9. The touch sensor according to claim 3 , wherein
the touch input sheet further includes an opposing layer formed on the base material and opposing, across a gap, a tip surface of the protruding part of the FPC film.

10. The touch sensor according to claim 9 , wherein
the opposing layer includes an edge part surrounding a portion of the base material wherein the FPC film is connected; and
the insulating film is formed into a strip shape along the edge part of the opposing layer.

11. A touch sensor manufacturing method, comprising:
preparing a touch input sheet including: a base material; a connection terminal formed on the base material; and an insulating film that covers at least part of a base-end side of the connection terminal, excluding a tip part of the connection terminal;
preparing a flexible circuit board including an FPC film and an FPC wiring formed on the FPC film; and
bonding the tipmost part of the connection terminal and the FPC wiring using an electrically conductive adhesive; and
filling, such that a tip of the insulating film and a tip of the FPC wiring are spaced apart from one another, such that an exposed portion, which is adjacent to the tipmost part and is not covered by the insulating film, is formed on the connection terminal; the FPC film includes a protruding part further extending from the FPC wiring and extending to a location at which it overlaps, in a plan view, the insulating film, such that a space is formed between the protruding part and the exposed portion, the space with an anti-rust material so as to cover the exposed portion of the connection terminal.

12. The touch sensor manufacturing method according to claim 11 , wherein
in the filling with the anti-rust material, the anti-rust material fills the space such that the insulating film disposed inside the space and the FPC film are isolated from one another.

13. The touch sensor manufacturing method according to claim 11 , wherein
the viscosity of the anti-rust material when being filled in the space is less than 400 MP·s.

14. The touch sensor manufacturing method according to claim 11 , wherein
before filling the space with the anti-rust material, an opposing layer, which opposes, across a gap, a tip surface of the protruding part of the FPC film, is formed on the base material.

15. The touch sensor manufacturing method according to claim 14 , wherein
the opposing layer includes an edge part surrounding a portion of the base material wherein the FPC film is disposed; and
the insulating film is formed into a strip shape along the edge part of the opposing layer.

16. The touch sensor manufacturing method according to claim 12 , wherein
the viscosity of the anti-rust material when being filled in the space is less than 400 MPa·s.

17. The touch sensor manufacturing method according to claim 16 , wherein
before filling the space with the anti-rust material, an opposing layer, which opposes, across a gap, a tip surface of the protruding part of the FPC film, is formed on the base material.

18. The touch sensor manufacturing method according to claim 17 , wherein
the opposing layer includes an edge part surrounding a portion of the base material wherein the FPC film is disposed; and
the insulating film is formed into a strip shape along the edge part of the opposing layer.

19. The touch sensor manufacturing method according to claim 13 , wherein
before filling the space with the anti-rust material, an opposing layer, which opposes, across a gap, a tip surface of the protruding part of the FPC film, is formed on the base material.

20. The touch sensor manufacturing method according to claim 19 , wherein
the opposing layer includes an edge part surrounding a portion of the base material wherein the FPC film is disposed; and
the insulating film is formed into a strip shape along the edge part of the opposing layer.

Assignees

• Nissha Printing

Inventors

• Furukawa Itsuo
• Takayama Hisaya
• Mori Ikuko

Classifications

• G06F3/041 Primary

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• G06F2203/04103

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

• G06F3/04164 Primary

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

• G06F3/0445

  using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer · CPC title