The present application claims a priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201510523259.9 filed on Aug. 24, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
The present disclosure relates to the field of touch screen, and in particular to a method for manufacturing a touch panel, a touch panel and a touch display device.
In related technologies, touch electrodes of a touch panel are made of indium tin oxid (ITO, a kind of conductive glass). Depositing an ITO pattern layer requires a film-plating process, which is expensive. The ITO pattern layer is prone to generate breakages and the depositing requires good film-plating quality and good flatness of a substrate; accordingly, the touch electrodes made of ITO are not suitable for a large touch product.
The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a touch panel, a touch panel and a touch display device, with which touch electrodes are made of nano-silver; thus, the equipment cost is reduced and the quality of the touch panel is improved.
It is provided a method for manufacturing a touch panel in the present disclosure, and the method includes:
Optionally, the step of forming the multiple first touch electrodes and the multiple second touch electrodes, which are made of nano-silver, on the substrate provided with the multiple isolation films may include:
Optionally, the step of forming the multiple first touch electrodes and the multiple second touch electrodes, which are made of nano-silver, on the substrate provided with the multiple isolation films may further include:
Optionally, before the step of forming the signal lines and the multiple connection bridges, the method may further include: forming a black frame on the substrate, where the black border is a frame surrounding a display region of the touch panel. The signal lines overlap the black frame in a light-transmitting direction of the display region, and the multiple connection bridges are surrounded by the black frame.
Optionally, the step of forming the multiple isolation films on the substrate provided with the signal lines and the multiple connection bridges may include:
Optionally, a patterning process for the multiple isolation films may include:
Optionally, each isolation film covers a middle portion of one corresponding connection bridge.
Optionally, each connection bridge extends along a column direction, the multiple first sub-electrodes of each first touch electrode extend along the column direction and are bridged through a corresponding column of connection bridges; each isolation film extends along a row direction, each second touch electrode extends along the row direction and comprises multiple second sub-electrodes, connecting portions between adjacent second sub-electrodes are located on a corresponding row of isolation films.
Optionally, the number of columns of the multiple connection bridges is equal to the number of the multiple first touch electrodes, the number of rows of the multiple connection bridges is less than the number of the first sub-electrodes of each first touch electrode by 1; and the number of rows of the multiple isolation films is equal to the number of the multiple second touch electrodes, and the number of columns of the multiple isolation films is less than the number of the second sub-electrodes of each second touch electrode by 1.
It is further provided a touch panel in the present disclosure, which includes:
Optionally, the touch panel may further include: a black frame, where the black frame is a frame surrounding a display region of the touch panel, and the black frame is disposed between the substrate and the signal lines or disposed at an identical layer to the multiple isolation films. The signal lines at least partially overlap the black frame.
Optionally, in the above touch panel, each isolation film covers a middle portion of one corresponding connection bridge.
Optionally, in the above touch panel, each connection bridge extends along a column direction, the multiple first sub-electrodes of each first touch electrode extend along the column direction and are bridged through a corresponding column of connection bridges; each isolation film extends along a row direction, each second touch electrode extends along the row direction and comprises multiple second sub-electrodes, connecting portions between adjacent second sub-electrodes are located on a corresponding row of isolation films.
Optionally, in the above touch panel, the number of columns of the multiple connection bridges is equal to the number of the multiple first touch electrodes, the number of rows of the multiple connection bridges is less than the number of the first sub-electrodes of each first touch electrode by 1; and the number of rows of the multiple isolation films is equal to the number of the multiple second touch electrodes, and the number of columns of the multiple isolation films is less than the number of the second sub-electrodes of each second touch electrode by 1.
Furthermore, it is further provided a touch display device including any one of the touch panels described above.
In the technical solutions of the present disclosure, the touch electrodes are made of the organic nano-silver, compared with manufacturing touch electrodes using ITO, the demand of the flatness of the substrate is less critical during manufacturing the touch electrodes in the present disclosure; therefore, the manufacturing method of the present disclosure is especially suitable to product a large touch screen, and the problem that ITO technology cannot be utilized in manufacturing large products is solved.
FIG. 1D1 to FIG. 1D4 are detailed schematic views of
FIG. 2B1 to FIG. 2B4 are detailed schematic views of
FIG. 3B1 to FIG. 3B6 are detailed schematic views of
In order to make the technical solutions and the advantages of the present disclosure more apparent, the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments.
In view of problems of the related technologies, it is provided a method for manufacturing a touch panel in the present disclosure, which includes following steps.
Signal lines and connection bridges are formed on a substrate. The signal lines and the connection bridges are made of a conductive material. The signal lines are connected to touch electrodes manufactured later and are for transmitting signals on the touch electrodes. The touch panel includes multiple first touch electrodes and multiple second touch electrodes intersecting with the multiple first touch electrodes. The connection bridges are located at intersections between the first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes, such that the first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes are spaced in a direction perpendicular to the touch panel.
Isolation films are formed on the substrate provided with the signal lines and the connection bridges, where each isolation film covers a portion of one corresponding connection bridge. The first touch electrodes are not in contact with the second touch electrodes due to the isolation films on the connection bridges; thus, the first touch electrodes are insulated from the second touch electrodes.
The multiple first touch electrodes and the multiple second touch electrodes made of nano-silver are formed on the substrate provided with the isolation films. The first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes are connected to the signal line. Each first touch electrode includes multiple first sub-electrodes, and adjacent first sub-electrodes are bridged through the connection bridges. The second touch electrodes are insulated from the connection bridges through the isolation films.
Compared with using ITO to manufacture the touch electrodes in the related technologies, the demand of the flatness of the substrate is less critical during manufacturing the touch electrodes with nano-silver, which is an organic material, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, it is easy to form a meandering pattern with nano-silver on the substrate, and the method of the present disclosure is especially suitable to product a large touch screen; thus solving the problem that the ITO technology cannot be utilized in manufacturing large products. Furthermore, a nano-silver conductive solution is an organic material, the touch electrodes can be manufactured using a coating process, compared to the film-plating process, equipment investment is smaller and such method in the present disclosure has a great promotion value.
A method for manufacturing a touch panel provided in the present disclosure will be described in detail hereinafter in conjunction with embodiments of the present disclosure.
It is provided a method for manufacturing a touch panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, which includes the following steps 11 to 14.
In step 11, as shown in
In step 12, as shown in
In order not to affect light transmission of the display region, the signal lines 31 at least partially overlap the black frame 2 in a light-transmitting direction of the display region.
In step 13, as shown in
The multiple isolation films 41 is arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the multiple connection bridges 32, and each isolation film 41 covers a middle portion of a corresponding connection bridge 32. The second touch electrodes manufactured later locate on the isolation films 41. It should be noted that, the signal line protection layer 42 is not an essential functional pattern and the arrangement thereof is only optional.
In step 14, as shown in
Each first touch electrode 51 and each second touch electrode 52 include multiple sub-electrodes (i.e., rhombuses in
Specifically, a procedure for manufacturing the first touch electrodes 51 and the second touch electrodes 52 includes the following steps 141 to 144.
In step 141, as shown in FIG. 1D1, a layer of nano-silver glue is deposited on the substrate provided with the connection bridges 32 and the isolation films 41 by means of a coating process, and the nano-silver glue is dried and cured to form a nano-silver layer 5.
In step 142, as shown in FIG. 1D2, a first photoresist A is coated on the nano-silver layer, and a first photoresist reserved region x and a first photoresist unreserved region y are formed through performing exposure using a mask plate and development on the first photoresist A. The first photoresist reserved region x is a region covered by the first photoresist A and corresponds to patterns of the first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes, and the first photoresist unreserved region y is the other region not covered by the first photoresist A.
In step 143, as shown in FIG. 1D3, the nano-silver layer in the first photoresist unreserved region is etched so as to form patterns of the first touch electrode 51 and the second touch electrode 52 made of nano-silver.
In step 144, as shown in FIG. 1D4, the remaining first photoresist A is reserved. In this step, since the patterns of the first touch electrode 51 and the second touch electrode 52 are formed in the last step of the manufacturing method, the first photoresist A covering the first touch electrodes 51 and the second touch electrodes 52 needs not to be removed, and the remaining first photoresist A can further protect the first touch electrodes 51 and the second touch electrodes 52.
As can be seen, the above manufacturing method has four patterning processes respectively for forming the black frame, the connection bridges and the signal lines, the isolation films, and the first touch electrodes and the second touch electrodes.
It is further provided a method for manufacturing a touch panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, which includes three pattering processes and includes the following steps 21 to 23.
In step 21, as shown in
In step 22, as shown in
In this step, since there is no functional conflict between the black frame 2 and the isolation films 41, the black frame 2 and the isolation films 41 may be made of a same material layer. Specifically, the step 22 includes steps 221 to 224.
In step 221, as shown in
In step 222, as shown in FIG. 2B2, a second photoresist B is coated on the black frame material layer, and a second photoresist fully-reserved region x and a second photoresist unreserved region y are formed through performing exposure using a mask plate and development on the second photoresist B. The second photoresist fully-reserved region x is a region covered by the second photoresist B and corresponds to patterns of the black frame and the isolation films, and the second photoresist unreserved region y is the other region not covered by the second photoresist B.
In step 223, as shown in FIG. 2B3, the black frame material layer in the second photoresist unreserved region y is etched so as to form patterns of the black frame 2 and the isolation films 41 made of a black frame material. The black frame 2 covers a portion of each signal line 31.
In step 224, as shown in FIG. 2B4, the remaining second photoresist B is removed.
Step 23 is performed after the black frame 2 and the isolation films 41 are manufactured. As shown in
In the manufacturing method, the black frame and the isolation films are formed in one patterning process; thus, manufacturing cost of the touch panel is reduced effectively.
It is further provided a method for manufacturing a touch panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, which has three patterning processes and includes the following steps 31 to 33.
In step 31, as shown in
In step 32, as shown in
In this step, the black frame 2 and the isolation films 41 are made of different materials. Specifically, the step 32 may include the following steps 321 to 326.
In step 321, as shown in
In step 322, as shown in FIG. 3B2, a third photoresist C is coated on the black frame material layer, and a third photoresist fully-reserved region x, a third photoresist partially-reserved region z and a third photoresist unreserved region y are formed through performing exposure using a halftone mask plate and development on the third photoresist C. The third photoresist fully-reserved region x corresponds to a region where a pattern of the black frame is located, the third photoresist partially-reserved region z corresponds to a region where patterns of the isolation films are located, and the third photoresist unreserved region y corresponds to the other region.
In step 323, as shown in FIG. 3B3, the black frame material layer and the transparent insulating material layer in the third photoresist unreserved region y are etched.
In step 324, as shown in FIG. 3B4, the third photoresist C in the third photoresist partially-reserved region z is ashed and the thickness of the third photoresist C in the third photoresist partially-reserved region z is reduced to approximate half of an original thickness thereof.
In step 325, as shown in FIG. 3B5, the black frame material layer in the third photoresist partially-reserved region z is etched to form patterns of the isolation films 41 which are only generated from the transparent insulating material layer.
In step 326, the remaining third photoresist C is removed.
Step 23 is performed after the black frame 2 and the isolation films 41 are formed. As shown in
In the above manufacturing method, the black frame and the isolation films are formed in one patterning process and the isolation films formed in the display region are transparent; therefore, light transmission of a display device including the touch panel is assured.
In summary, in the manufacturing methods provided in the present disclosure, the touch electrodes are made of nano-silver; compared with manufacturing the touch electrodes using ITO, the demand of the flatness of the substrate in the manufacturing methods of the present disclosure is less critical; therefore, the manufacturing methods of the present disclosure are especially suitable to product a large touch screen.
Moreover, corresponding to the above manufacturing methods, it is further provided a touch panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in
It should be noted that, the touch panel in the embodiments is manufactured using the manufacturing methods of the present disclosure and is in accordance with any of the above manufacturing methods. Therefore, it can be known that as shown in
Furthermore, it is provided a touch display device including the above touch panel according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The touch display device may be a mobile phone, a PAD, a vehicle-mounted terminal or the like. In particular, with respect to a display device including a large touch panel, the entire touch electrode layer made of nano-silver may hardly generate breakages and can provide better user experience in touch recognition.
Those described above are preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be noted that, the skilled in the art can make improvements and modifications without departing from the principle of the disclosure, and those improvements and modifications all fall in the scope of protection of the present disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201510523259.9 | Aug 2015 | CN | national |