Touch screens comprising graphene layers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9632542-B2
Application number	US-201313875806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2013
Priority date	May 2, 2013
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

In one aspect, touch screens are described herein. In some implementations, a touch screen comprises an electrically conductive layer and one or more electrodes electrically connected to the electrically conductive layer, wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises a graphene layer. In some implementations, the electrically conductive layer comprises an electrically conductive coating disposed on an electrically insulating substrate.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A touch screen comprising:
an electrically conductive layer; and
one or more electrodes electrically connected to the electrically conductive layer,

wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises a graphene layer,
wherein the graphene layer is an exterior surface of the touch screen, and
wherein the graphene layer comprises at least 95 atom percent graphene carbon.

2. The touch screen of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises an electrically conductive coating disposed on an electrically insulating substrate.

3. The touch screen of claim 2 , wherein the graphene layer forms the electrically conductive coating.

4. The touch screen of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises a conductive coating disposed between the graphene layer and a substrate.

5. The touch screen of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises a substrate positioned between a conductive coating and the graphene layer.

6. The touch screen of claim 1 further comprising:
a second electrically conductive layer; and
a spacer layer disposed between the first and second electrically conductive layers.

7. The touch screen of claim 6 , wherein at least one electrically conductive layer comprises an electrically conductive coating disposed on an electrically insulating substrate.

8. The touch screen of claim 6 , wherein the second electrically conductive layer comprises a second graphene layer.

9. The touch screen of claim 1 , wherein the graphene layer has an average thickness of up to 100 nm.

10. The touch screen of claim 9 , wherein the graphene layer comprises one or more graphene sheets having a total of 1 to 10 atomic layers.

11. The touch screen of claim 1 , wherein the graphene layer comprises a layer of graphene tubes.

12. The touch screen of claim 11 , wherein the graphene tubes have a horizontal or substantially horizontal orientation.

13. The touch screen of 11 , wherein the graphene tubes have a vertical or substantially vertical orientation.

14. An apparatus comprising a touch screen, the touch screen comprising:
an electrically conductive layer; and
one or more electrodes electrically connected to the electrically conductive layer,

wherein the electrically conductive layer comprises a graphene layer,
wherein the graphene layer is an exterior surface of the touch screen, and
wherein the graphene layer comprises at least 95 atom percent graphene carbon.

15. A method of making a touch screen comprising:
providing a substrate;
disposing a graphene layer on a surface of the substrate to provide an electrically conductive layer comprising graphene;
providing one or more electrodes; and
electrically connecting the one or more electrodes to the electrically conductive layer,

wherein the graphene layer is an exterior surface of the touch screen, and
wherein the graphene layer comprises at least 95 atom percent graphene carbon.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
providing a second electrically conductive layer;
providing a spacer layer; and
separating the first and second electrically conductive layers with the spacer layer, the conductive layers being arranged in a stacked configuration.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein providing the second electrically conductive layer comprises providing a second substrate and disposing a second graphene layer on a surface of the second substrate to provide the second electrically conductive layer.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Li Angela W
• Hunt Jeffrey H
• Howe Wayne R

Classifications

• G06F1/1692 Primary

  the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders · CPC title

• B82Y30/00

  Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites · CPC title

• G06F3/041

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

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• Y10T29/49155

  Manufacturing circuit on or in base · CPC title