Window panel integrated capacitive-type touch sensor and a fabrication method therefor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a capacitive touch sensor and, more particulaly, to a capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel. The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to the present invention a transparent window panel substrate; a non-conductive opaque decorative layer formed on a surface of the substrate along the edges of the substrate to define a transparent window area (W) on the substrate; a transparent electrode pattern layer formed over the window area (W) of the substrate and the decorative; and a conductive wiring pattern layer formed at an edge of the transparent electrode pattern layer. The conductive wire pattern layer is disposed in such a manner that it is concealed by the opaque decorative layer. As the touch sensor of the present invention is integrated with the window panel, no additional substrate (PET) on which transparent electrodes are patterned is not required and the thickness of the touch sensor is can be reduced. Also, the touch sensor of the present invention does not require any adhesive for bonding to a separate substrate, which reduces its manufacturing costs.

1 . A capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel, comprising:
 a transparent window panel substrate;   a non-conductive opaque decorative layer formed on a surface of said substrate along edges of the surface to define a transparent window area on said substrate;   a transparent conductive electrode pattern layer formed over the window area of said substrate and said decorative layer; and   a conductive wiring layer formed at an edge of top surface of said transparent conductive electrode pattern layer.   
     
     
         2 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an anti-reflection layer formed over said transparent conductive electrode pattern layer.   
     
     
         3 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a coated layer provided between the window panel substrate and the transparent electrode pattern layer.   
     
     
         4 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a scattering prevention layer disposed on the anti-reflection layer.   
     
     
         5 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said non-conductive opaque decorative layer is formed by use of non-conductive ink. 
     
     
         6 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said non-conductive non-transparent decorative layer comprises:
 a coating layer composed of non-conductive metallic alloy or non-conductive metallic oxide;   
     
     
         7 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 6 , wherein the non-conductive metallic oxide contains titanium dioxide (TiO2) or silicon dioxide (SiO2). 
     
     
         8 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 6 , wherein the non-conductive metallic alloy contains tin or silicon aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         9 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 1  wherein said conductive electrode pattern layer is made of on selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO. 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing a capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel, comprising steps of:
 providing a transparent window panel substrate;   providing a non-conductive opaque decorative layer on a surface of the window panel substrate along edges of the surface to define a transparent window area over the window panel substrate;   coating a transparent conductive electrode thin film over the window area and the decorative layer;   forming a transparent conductive electrode pattern by partially removing the conductive electrode thin film; and   coating a conductive wiring layer at an edge of the transparent conductive electrode pattern.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising a step of:
 coating an anti-reflection layer over the transparent electrode pattern and the conductive wiring layer.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a step of:
 coating a scattering prevention layer on the anti-reflection layer.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising a step of:
 before coating the transparent conductive electrode thin film, coating a SiO2 layer.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of providing the non-conductive opaque decorative layer comprises steps of:
 coating a non-conductive metallic alloy layer or a non-conductive metallic oxide layer on one side of the window panel substrate;   coating non-conductive ink on the non-conductive metallic alloy layer or the metallic oxide layer in the decoration region so as to define the window area over the window panel substrate; and   etching away the metallic alloy layer or the non-conductive metallic oxide layer coated on the window area.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the non-conductive metallic oxide contains titanium dioxide (TiO2) or silicon dioxide (SiO2). 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the non-conductive metallic alloy contains tin or silicon aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of providing the non-conductive opaque decorative layer is performed by screen printing of non-conductive ink. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said step of coating the transparent electrode thin film comprises a step of:
 sputtering an oxide selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO.   
     
     
         19 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 2 , wherein said non-conductive opaque decorative layer is formed by use of non-conductive ink. 
     
     
         20 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 3 , wherein said non-conductive opaque decorative layer is formed by use of non-conductive ink. 
     
     
         21 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 4 , wherein said non-conductive opaque decorative layer is formed by use of non-conductive ink. 
     
     
         22 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 2 , wherein said non-conductive non-transparent decorative layer comprises:
 a coating layer composed of non-conductive metallic alloy or non-conductive metallic oxide.   
     
     
         23 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 3 , wherein said non-conductive non-transparent decorative layer comprises:
 a coating layer composed of non-conductive metallic alloy or non-conductive metallic oxide.   
     
     
         24 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 4 , wherein said non-conductive non-transparent decorative layer comprises:
 a coating layer composed of non-conductive metallic alloy or non-conductive metallic oxide.   
     
     
         25 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 22  wherein the non-conductive metallic oxide contains titanium dioxide (TiO2) or silicon dioxide (SiO2). 
     
     
         26 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 23 , wherein the non-conductive metallic oxide contains titanium dioxide (TiO2) or silicon dioxide (SiO2). 
     
     
         27 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 24 , wherein the non-conductive metallic oxide contains titanium dioxide (TiO2) or silicon dioxide (SiO2). 
     
     
         28 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 22  wherein the non-conductive metallic alloy contains tin or silicon aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         29 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 23 , wherein the non-conductive metallic alloy contains tin or silicon aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         30 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 24 , wherein the non-conductive metallic alloy contains tin or silicon aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         31 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 2 , wherein said conductive electrode pattern layer is made of on selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO. 
     
     
         32 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 3 , wherein said conductive electrode pattern layer is made of on selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO. 
     
     
         33 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 4 , wherein said conductive electrode pattern layer is made of on selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO. 
     
     
         34 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 5 , wherein said conductive electrode pattern layer is made of on selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO. 
     
     
         35 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 19 , wherein said conductive electrode pattern layer is made of on selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO. 
     
     
         36 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 20 , wherein said conductive electrode pattern layer is made of on selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO. 
     
     
         37 . The capacitive touch sensor integrated with window panel according to  claim 21 , wherein said conductive electrode pattern layer is made of on selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said step of providing the non-conductive opaque decorative layer comprises steps of:
 coating a non-conductive metallic alloy layer or a non-conductive metallic oxide layer on one side of the window panel substrate;   coating non-conductive ink on the non-conductive metallic alloy layer or the metallic oxide layer in the decoration region so as to define the window area over the window panel substrate; and   etching away the metallic alloy layer or the non-conductive metallic oxide layer coated on the window area.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said step of providing the non-conductive opaque decorative layer comprises steps of:
 coating a non-conductive metallic alloy layer or a non-conductive metallic oxide layer on one side of the window panel substrate;   coating non-conductive ink on the non-conductive metallic alloy layer or the metallic oxide layer in the decoration region so as to define the window area over the window panel substrate; and   etching away the metallic alloy layer or the non-conductive metallic oxide layer coated on the window area.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of providing the non-conductive opaque decorative layer comprises steps of:
 coating a non-conductive metallic alloy layer or a non-conductive metallic oxide layer on one side of the window panel substrate;   coating non-conductive ink on the non-conductive metallic alloy layer or the metallic oxide layer in the decoration region so as to define the window area over the window panel substrate; and   etching away the metallic alloy layer or the non-conductive metallic oxide layer coated on the window area.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the non-conductive metallic oxide contains titanium dioxide (TiO2) or silicon dioxide (SiO2). 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the non-conductive metallic oxide contains titanium dioxide (TiO2) or silicon dioxide (SiO2). 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the non-conductive metallic oxide contains titanium dioxide (TiO2) or silicon dioxide (SiO2). 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the non-conductive metallic alloy contains tin or silicon aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the non-conductive metallic alloy contains tin or silicon aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the non-conductive metallic alloy contains tin or silicon aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said step of providing the non-conductive opaque decorative layer is performed by screen printing of non-conductive ink. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said step of providing the non-conductive opaque decorative layer is performed by screen printing of non-conductive ink. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of providing the non-conductive opaque decorative layer is performed by screen printing of non-conductive ink. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said step of coating the transparent electrode thin film comprises a step of:
 sputtering an oxide selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said step of coating the transparent electrode thin film comprises a step of:
 sputtering an oxide selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said step of coating the transparent electrode thin film comprises a step of:
 sputtering an oxide selected from a group consisting of ITO, IZO, ZnO, and CTO.   
     
     
         53 . The window panel integrated capacitive touch sensor according to  claim 3 , wherein said coated layer is composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2). 
     
     
         54 . The window panel integrated capacitive touch sensor according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a non-conductive ink layer printed on said coating layer.   
     
     
         55 . The window panel integrated capacitive touch sensor according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a non-conductive ink layer printed on said coating layer.   
     
     
         56 . The window panel integrated capacitive touch sensor according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a non-conductive ink layer printed on said coating layer.   
     
     
         57 . The window panel integrated capacitive touch sensor according to  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a non-conductive ink layer printed on said coating layer.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the transparent non-conductive coated layer is composed of silicon dioxide (SiO2).