IP Library Granted Patent US 9,164,642
Granted Patent B2
US 9,164,642 · App. 13/562,446 · Granted Oct 20, 2015

Touch panel

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,164,642
App. No.
13/562,446
Granted
Oct 20, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A touch panel includes an upper substrate, an upper conductive layer, a lower substrate, a lower conductive layer, and dot spacers. The upper substrate includes a substrate layer and a hard coat layer disposed on the top surface of the substrate layer. The upper conductive layer is disposed on the bottom of the upper substrate. The lower conductive layer is disposed on the top surface of the lower substrate in such a manner as to confront the upper conductive layer with a predetermined space therebetween. The dot spacers are disposed on the lower conductive layer. The hard coat layer has an outer surface with a ten-point average roughness Rz in the range from 17.7 μm to 40.0 μm, inclusive.

Claims (58)

1. A touch panel comprising:

an upper substrate including:

a substrate layer having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face; and

a hard coat layer disposed on the first face of the substrate layer;

an upper conductive layer disposed on the upper substrate at a face closer to the second face than to the first face of the substrate layer;

a lower substrate having an inner surface confronting the upper conductive layer;

a lower conductive layer disposed on the inner surface of the lower substrate, and confronting the upper conductive layer with a predetermined space therebetween; and

dot spacers disposed on the lower conductive layer between the lower conductive layer and the upper conductive layer,

wherein the hard coat layer includes an acrylic-based resin and silicon dioxide particles dispersed in the acrylic resin,

wherein the hard coat layer has an outer surface opposite to the substrate layer, and having a ten-point average roughness Rz in a range from 17.7 μm to 40.0 μm, inclusive,

wherein the ten-point average roughness of the hard coat layer is configured so that the touch panel recognizes a flick operation performed by a user on the hard coat layer.

2. The touch panel according to claim 1 , wherein

the upper substrate further includes a light diffusing layer disposed on the second face of the substrate layer, the light diffusing layer being made of a light-transmitting resin and free from filler.

3. The touch panel according to claim 1 , wherein

the dot spacers have a height in a range from 5 μm to 15 μm, inclusive, and

tops of any two of the dot spacers are apart from each other at intervals in a range from 3.5 mm to 4.5 mm, inclusive.

4. The touch panel according to claim 1 , wherein

the outer surface of the hard coat layer has a surface tension in a range from 32 N/mm to 38 N/mm, inclusive.

5. The touch panel according to claim 1 , wherein the upper conductive layer can be brought into contact with the lower conductive layer in response to a compressive force of 0.1 N or less during the flick operation.

6. The touch panel according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of each of the silicon dioxide particles falls within a range from 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm, inclusive.

7. The touch panel according to claim 1 , wherein

the substrate layer has a Young's modulus in the range from 4 GPa to 5 GPa.

8. A touch panel comprising:

an upper substrate including:

a substrate layer having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face; and

a hard coat layer disposed on the first face of the substrate layer;

an upper conductive layer disposed on the upper substrate at a face closer to the second face than to the first face of the substrate layer;

a lower substrate having an inner surface confronting the upper conductive layer;

a lower conductive layer disposed on the inner surface of the lower substrate, and confronting the upper conductive layer with a predetermined space therebetween; and

dot spacers disposed on the lower conductive layer between the lower conductive layer and the upper conductive layer,

wherein the hard coat layer includes an acrylic-based resin and a fluorine-based resin,

wherein the hard coat layer has an outer surface opposite to the substrate layer, and having a ten-point average roughness Rz in a range from 17.7 μm to 40.0 μm, inclusive,

wherein the ten-point average roughness of the hard coat layer is configured so that the touch panel recognizes a flick operation performed by a user on the hard coat layer.

9. The touch panel according to claim 8 , wherein

the upper substrate further includes a light diffusing layer disposed on the second face of the substrate layer, the light diffusing layer being made of a light-transmitting resin and free from filler.

10. The touch panel according to claim 8 , wherein

the dot spacers have a height in a range from 5 μm to 15 μm, inclusive, and

tops of any two of the dot spacers are apart from each other at intervals in a range from 3.5 mm to 4.5 mm, inclusive.

11. The touch panel according to claim 8 , wherein

the outer surface of the hard coat layer has a surface tension in a range from 32 N/mm to 38 N/mm, inclusive.

12. The touch panel according to claim 8 , wherein

the upper conductive layer can be brought into contact with the lower conductive layer in response to a compressive force of 0.1 N or less during the flick operation.

13. A touch panel comprising:

an upper substrate including:

a substrate layer having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face; and

a hard coat layer disposed on the first face of the substrate layer;

an upper conductive layer disposed on the upper substrate at a face closer to the second face than to the first face of the substrate layer;

a lower substrate having an inner surface confronting the upper conductive layer;

a lower conductive layer disposed on the inner surface of the lower substrate, and confronting the upper conductive layer with a predetermined space therebetween; and

dot spacers disposed on the lower conductive layer between the lower conductive layer and the upper conductive layer, wherein:

the dot spacers have a height in a range from 5 μm to 15 μm, inclusive;

tops of any two of the dot spacers are apart from each other at intervals in a range from 3.5 mm to 4.5 mm, inclusive;

the hard coat layer includes an acrylic-based resin, and silicon dioxide particles dispersed in the acrylic resin and has an outer surface opposite to the substrate layer, and having a ten-point average roughness Rz in a range from 17.7 μm to 40.0 μm, inclusive;

a diameter of each of the silicon dioxide particles falls within a range from 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm, inclusive;

the ten-point average roughness of the hard coat layer is configured so that the touch panel recognizes a flick operation performed by a user on the hard coat layer; and

wherein the upper conductive layer can be brought into contact with the lower conductive layer in response to a compressive force of 0.1 N or less during the flick operation.

14. The touch panel according to claim 13 , wherein

the substrate layer has a Young's modulus in the range from 4 GPa to 5 GPa.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUSLY FILED APPLICATION NUMBERS 13/384239, 13/498734, 14/116681 AND 14/301144 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034194 FRAME 0143. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056788/0362 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034194/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2012
From: FUJII, SHOJI; NIGUMA, YASURO; MURAOKA, KEISYU
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029116/0444 →