Transparent touch-screen capacitor with micro-wire electrode
View Patent ↗A touch-screen device includes a transparent dielectric layer. An anisotropically conductive first electrode extends in a first length direction over the substrate and an anisotropically conductive second electrode having a second length direction is formed under the substrate. The anisotropically conductive first and second electrodes each include a plurality of electrically connected micro-wires, including parallel straight micro-wires extending in the corresponding first and second length directions and angled micro-wires formed at a non-orthogonal angle to the straight micro-wires. The angled micro-wires electrically connect the straight micro-wires so that the anisotropically conductive first and second electrodes each have a greater electrical conductivity in the corresponding first and second length directions than in another anisotropically conductive electrode direction.
1. A touch-screen device, comprising:
a transparent dielectric layer having a first side and a second side opposite and substantially parallel to the first side;
an anisotropically conductive first electrode extending in a first length direction formed over the first side, the anisotropically conductive first electrode including a plurality of electrically connected micro-wires formed in a first micro-pattern under the transparent dielectric layer;
an anisotropically conductive second electrode having a second length direction formed under the second side, the anisotropically conductive second electrode including a plurality of electrically connected micro-wires formed in a second micro-pattern over the transparent dielectric layer; and
wherein the first and second micro-patterns each have three or more substantially parallel straight micro-wires extending substantially in the corresponding first and second length directions for the length of the corresponding first and second electrode and additionally only a plurality of angled micro-wires formed at a non-orthogonal angle to the straight micro-wires electrically connecting the straight micro-wires so that the anisotropically conductive first and second electrodes each have a greater electrical conductivity in the corresponding first and second length directions than in another anisotropically conductive electrode direction.
2. The touch-screen device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the angled micro-wires in the first micro-pattern is substantially parallel to at least one of the angled micro-wires in the second micro-pattern.
3. The touch-screen device of claim 1 , wherein the first length direction is substantially perpendicular to the second length direction.
4. The touch-screen device of claim 1 , wherein the angled micro-wires in the first micro-pattern are substantially parallel to the angled micro-wires in the second micro-pattern.
5. The touch-screen device of claim 1 , wherein the first micro-pattern is substantially the same as the second micro-pattern.
6. The touch-screen device of claim 1 , wherein the first micro-pattern is a rotated version of the second micro-pattern.
7. The touch-screen device of claim 6 , wherein the rotation is 90 degrees.
8. The touch-screen device of claim 1 , wherein the first micro-pattern is a mirror image of the second micro-pattern.
9. The touch-screen device of claim 1 , wherein the angled micro-wires of the first micro-pattern are spatially in phase with the angled micro-wires of the second micro-pattern.
10. The touch-screen device of claim 1 , wherein the angled micro-wires of the first micro-pattern are spatially out of phase with the angled micro-wires of the second micro-pattern.
11. The touch-screen device of claim 10 , wherein the angled micro-wires of the first micro-pattern side are spatially out of phase with the angled micro-wires of the second micro-pattern by substantially 180 degrees.
12. A touch-screen, comprising:
a transparent substrate having a substantially planar first side and an opposing substantially parallel substantially planar second side;
a plurality of anisotropically conductive first electrodes extending in a first length direction formed over or on the first side, the anisotropically conductive first electrodes each including a plurality of electrically connected micro-wires formed in a first micro-pattern;
a plurality of anisotropically conductive second electrodes extending in a second length direction orthogonal to the first length direction formed on or under the second side, the anisotropically conductive second electrodes each including a plurality of electrically connected micro-wires formed in a second micro-pattern; wherein:
the anisotropically conductive first electrode has three or more substantially parallel first straight micro-wires extending substantially in the first length direction for the length of the first electrode and a plurality of first angled micro-wires formed at a non-orthogonal angle to the first straight micro-wires electrically connecting the first straight micro-wires;
the anisotropically conductive second electrode has three or more substantially parallel second straight micro-wires extending substantially in the second length direction for the length of the second electrode and additionally only a plurality of second angled micro-wires formed at a non-orthogonal angle to the second straight micro-wires electrically connecting the second straight micro-wires; and
so that the anisotropically conductive first and second electrodes each have a greater electrical conductivity in the corresponding first and second length directions than in another anisotropically conductive electrode direction.
13. The touch-screen of claim 12 , wherein the transparent substrate is a dielectric layer.
14. The touch-screen of claim 12 , wherein the first angled micro-wires are parallel to the second angled micro-wires.
15. The touch-screen of claim 12 , wherein the first angled micro-wires extend across a plurality of first straight micro-wires at a common angle with respect to the first straight micro-wires and wherein the second angled micro-wires extend across a plurality of second straight micro-wires at the common angle with respect to the second straight micro-wires.
16. The touch-screen of claim 12 , wherein the first angled micro-wires are substantially centered between the second angled micro-wires.
17. The touch-screen of claim 12 , wherein the first micro-pattern is a mirror image or rotation of the second micro-pattern.
18. The touch-screen of claim 12 , wherein the transparent substrate is a cover or substrate of a display device.
19. A touch-responsive capacitive device, comprising the touch-screen of claim 12 and a display located to emit or reflect light through the touch-screen.
20. The touch-responsive capacitive device of claim 19 , wherein the display includes a substrate or cover through which light is emitted or reflected and wherein either or both of the anisotropically conductive first and second electrodes are formed on the substrate or cover.