Flexible touch panel and flexible display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9933886-B2
Application number	US-201514880753-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2015
Priority date	Jan 9, 2015
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A flexible touch panel includes a flexible substrate bent in a first direction, and a touch sensor unit disposed on the flexible substrate, the touch sensor unit including a bridge extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible touch panel, comprising:
a flexible substrate bent in a first direction; and
a touch sensor unit disposed on the flexible substrate, the touch sensor unit comprising a bridge extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction,
wherein:
the touch sensor unit further comprises:
first sensing electrodes disposed on the flexible substrate, each of the first sensing electrodes separated from each other along the first direction;
a connection part connecting the first sensing electrodes;
second sensing electrodes disposed on the flexible substrate, each of the second sensing electrodes separated from each other along the second direction; and
an insulating pattern disposed between the connection part and the bridge, the insulating pattern covering the connection part;

the bridge is disposed on the connection part and connects the second sensing electrodes;
the first sensing electrodes and the connection part are integrally formed;
the second sensing electrodes comprise the same material as the first sensing electrodes and are formed on the same layer as the first sensing electrodes; and
the bridge comprises a material different from the second sensing electrodes and is formed on a different layer from the second sensing electrodes.

2. The flexible touch panel of claim 1 , wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

3. The flexible touch panel of claim 1 , wherein the bridge comprises a metal.

4. The flexible touch panel of claim 3 , wherein the second sensing electrodes comprise a transparent conductive material.

5. The flexible touch panel of claim 1 , wherein:
the insulating pattern comprises a bent surface; and
the bridge is bent along the bent surface.

6. The flexible touch panel of claim 1 , further comprising at least two bridges connecting adjacent second sensing electrodes.

7. The flexible touch panel of claim 1 , wherein the second direction and the first direction intersect each other at an angle in the range of 5° to 80°.

8. The flexible touch panel of claim 1 , further comprising a window disposed on the touch sensor unit, the window being bent in the first direction.

9. A flexible display device, comprising:
a flexible display panel bent in a first direction and configured to display an image; and
a touch sensor unit disposed on the flexible display panel, the touch sensor unit comprising a bridge extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction,
wherein:
the touch sensor unit further comprises:
first sensing electrodes disposed on the flexible display panel, each of the first sensing electrodes separated from each other along the first direction;
a connection part connecting the first sensing electrodes;
second sensing electrodes disposed on the flexible display panel, each of the second sensing electrodes separated from each other along the second direction; and
an insulating pattern disposed between the connection part and the bridge, the insulating pattern covering the connection part;

the bridge is disposed on the connection part and connects the second sensing electrodes;
the first sensing electrodes and the connection part are integrally formed;
the second sensing electrodes comprise the same material as the first sensing electrodes and are formed on the same layer as the first sensing electrodes; and
the bridge comprises a material different from the second sensing electrodes and is formed on a different layer from the second sensing electrodes.

10. The flexible display device of claim 9 , further comprising a window disposed on the touch sensor unit, the window being bent in the first direction.

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Hyung Chul
• Park Jung Mok

Classifications

• G06F2203/04102

  Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper · CPC title

• G09G3/3208

  organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] · CPC title

• G06F3/041 Primary

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

• G06F1/1652

  the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable · 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