Touch sensor and exposure mask for forming same

Abstract

A touch sensor comprises a group pattern having a sensing cell part including a plurality of sensing cell groups in which a plurality of sensing cells are electrically connected and a wiring part formed outside the sensing cell part. The wiring part includes a first sub-wiring part and a second sub-wiring part. The first sub-wiring part has a drawing wire electrically connected to a sensing cell at one end of the sensing cell group. The second sub-wiring part is disposed outside the first sub-wiring part and has a non-drawing wire not electrically connected to the sensing cell part. The non-drawing wires are provided as many as the number of unit patterns repeatedly formed to constitute a large-area touch sensor minus one.

Claims

1. A touch sensor comprising a first group pattern including: a sensing cell part including a plurality of sensing cell groups in which a plurality of sensing cells are electrically connected; a wiring part formed outside the sensing cell part, wherein the wiring part includes: a first sub-wiring part having a drawing wire electrically connected to a sensing cell at one end of the sensing cell group; and a second sub-wiring part disposed outside the first sub-wiring part and having a non-drawing wire not electrically connected to the sensing cell part; and a second group pattern disposed adjacent to the first group pattern and having the same structure as the first group pattern, wherein some of the non-drawing wires of the second sub-wiring part of the first group pattern are signal transmission wires that are connected to the drawing wires of the first sub-wiring part of the second group pattern to transmit signals.

2. The touch sensor according to claim 1, wherein some of the other non-drawing wires of the second sub-wiring part of the first group pattern are dummy wires that are connected to the non-drawing wires of the second sub-wiring part of the second group pattern but do not transmit signals.

3. The touch sensor according to claim 2, further comprising a third sub-wiring part for noise shielding outside the second sub-wiring part.

4. The touch sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a third sub-wiring part for noise shielding outside the second sub-wiring part.

5. A touch sensor comprising a first group pattern including: a sensing cell part including a plurality of sensing cell groups in which a plurality of sensing cells are electrically connected; a wiring part formed outside the sensing cell part, wherein the wiring part includes: a first sub-wiring part having a drawing wire electrically connected to a sensing cell at one end of the sensing cell group; and a second sub-wiring part disposed outside the first sub-wiring part and having a non-drawing wire not electrically connected to the sensing cell part; and a second group pattern disposed adjacent to the first group pattern and having the same structure as the first group pattern, wherein the non-drawing wires of the second sub-wiring part of the first group pattern are signal transmission wires that are connected to the drawing wires of the first sub-wiring part and some of the non-drawing wires of the second sub-wiring part of the second group pattern to transmit signals.

6. The touch sensor according to claim 5, further comprising a third sub-wiring part for noise shielding outside the second sub-wiring part.

7. A touch sensor comprising a first group pattern including: a sensing cell part including a plurality of sensing cell groups in which a plurality of sensing cells are electrically connected; a wiring part formed outside the sensing cell part, wherein the wiring part includes: a first sub-wiring part having a drawing wire electrically connected to a sensing cell at one end of the sensing cell group; and a second sub-wiring part disposed outside the first sub-wiring part and having a non-drawing wire not electrically connected to the sensing cell part, wherein the non-drawing wire of the second sub-wiring part is a dummy wire that does not transmit a signal; and a second group pattern disposed adjacent to the first group pattern and having the same structure as the first group pattern, wherein some of the non-drawing wires of the second sub-wiring part of the first group pattern are connected to some of the non-drawing wires of the second sub-wiring part of the second group pattern.

8. The touch sensor according to claim 7, further comprising a third sub-wiring part for noise shielding outside the second sub-wiring part.

9. A touch sensor comprising a unit pattern including: a sensing cell part including a sensing cell group in which a plurality of sensing cells are electrically connected; and a wiring part formed outside the sensing cell part, wherein the wiring part includes: a first sub-wiring part having a drawing wire electrically connected to a sensing cell at one end of the sensing cell part; and a second sub-wiring part disposed outside the first sub-wiring part and having non-drawing wires not electrically connected to the sensing cell part, wherein the non-drawing wires are provided by subtracting 1 from a number of unit patterns repeated to form a large-area touch sensor; wherein the large-area touch sensor is formed by sequentially and repeatedly forming n unit patterns, wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to 2, when an outermost non-drawing wire is a first non-drawing wire and an innermost non-drawing wire is a (n−1)th non-drawing wire in the second sub-wiring part of the n-th unit pattern, the first non-drawing wire is connected to the first sub-wiring part of the first unit pattern by sequentially passing through each second sub-wiring part of the adjacent (n−1)th unit pattern to the second unit pattern.

10. The touch sensor according to claim 9, wherein wires from the first non-drawing wire to the (n−1)th non-drawing wire are electrically connected to the sensing cell part from the first unit pattern to the (n−1)th unit pattern, respectively.

11. The touch sensor according to claim 9, further comprising a third sub-wiring part for noise shielding outside the second sub-wiring part.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a touch sensor of a group pattern according to the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exposure mask for forming a touch sensor of a group pattern according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3 is a plan view of a touch sensor in which a plurality of group patterns according to the present invention are repeatedly formed.

(4) FIG. 4 is a plan view of a touch sensor formed by connecting a plurality of unit patterns repeatedly according to the present invention.

BEST MODE

(5) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. However, the following drawings attached to the present specification illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and serve to further understand the technical spirit of the present invention together with the above-described content of the present invention, so the present invention should not be construed as being limited only to the matters described in such drawings.

(6) FIG. 1 is a plan view of a group pattern according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a sensing cell part 110 is expressed in a simplified form, and may further include a bridge (not shown) and the like in an actual form.

(7) As shown in FIG. 1, the group pattern according to the present invention may include the sensing cell part 110, a wiring part 120, and so on.

(8) The sensing cell part 110 may include a plurality of sensing cell groups. In a sensing cell group, a plurality of sensing cells may be electrically connected to each other by being connected in one direction. The sensing cell can be configured in the form of an island. The electrical connection between the sensing cells may be integrated by patterning with the sensing cells, or a conductive bridge may be used.

(9) The sensing cell part 110 may be composed of a first sensing electrode in which a plurality of sensing cells are arranged and connected in a horizontal (X-axis) direction and a second sensing electrode in which a plurality of sensing cells are arranged and connected in a vertical (Y-axis) direction.

(10) As shown in FIG. 1, the sensing cell part 110 may include a plurality of sensing cell groups which are arranged and connected in the horizontal (X-axis) direction and the vertical (Y-axis) direction. For example, it may include a first sensing cell group composed of a plurality of first sensing cells arranged and connected in a horizontal (X-axis) direction, a second sensing cell group composed of a plurality of second sensing cells spaced apart from the lower end of the first sensing cell group and arranged and connected in the horizontal (X-axis) direction, and a third sensing cell group composed of a plurality of third sensing cells spaced apart from the lower end of the second sensing cell group and arranged and connected in the horizontal (X-axis) direction. Although three sensing cell groups are shown in FIG. 1, there may be one or more sensing cell groups, and the maximum is up to the number of wires in the wiring part or the ratio of the number of wires to the number of group patterns in the entire touch sensor.

(11) The sensing cell part 110 can be composed of a transparent conductive oxide, for example, conductive oxides such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), aluminum zinc oxide (AZO), zinc oxide (ZnOx), titanium oxide (TiO2), aluminum oxide (Al.sub.2O.sub.3). In addition, indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO), indium oxide (InOx), tin oxide (SnOx), cadmium tin oxide (CTO), gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO), zinc tin oxide (ZTO), indium gallium oxide (IGO) or the like, or a combination of two or more thereof may also be used.

(12) The sensing cell part 110 may be composed of a conductive metal, an alloy, or a laminate including a metal. In this case, it may be of a mesh type or the like capable of increasing light transmittance.

(13) The wiring part 120 transmits the sensing signal of the sensing cell part 110 to a pad electrode (not shown), and may include a plurality of wires.

(14) The wiring part 120 may be disposed in a peripheral area of the sensing cell part 110. The wiring part 120 may be disposed on one side as shown in FIG. 1, or may be disposed separately on both sides. When disposed on both sides, the wiring part 120 may be alternately connected to the end part sensing cells in the horizontal (X-axis) direction on the left and right sides.

(15) The wiring part 120 may include a first sub-wiring part 121 and a second sub-wiring part 123.

(16) The first sub-wiring part 121 may be configured as a drawing wire electrically connected to a sensing cell at one end of the sensing cell group to extract a signal from the sensing cell part 110. The first sub-wiring part 121 may be disposed adjacent to the sensing cell part 110.

(17) The second sub-wiring part 123 may be disposed outside the first sub-wiring part 121, that is, farther from the peripheral area of the sensing cell part 110. The second sub-wiring part 123 may be configured as a non-drawing wire that is not electrically connected to the sensing cell part 110. The second sub-wiring part 123 may be connected to the first sub-wiring part 121 or the second sub-wiring part 123 of another group pattern repeatedly formed in the vertical (Y-axis) direction. The number of non-drawing wires of the second sub-wiring part 123 may be greater than the number of non-drawing wires of the first sub-wiring part 121 in proportion to the number of vertically arranged sensing cell groups.

(18) As shown in FIG. 1, the wiring part 120 may include a third sub-wiring part 125 outside the second sub-wiring part 123. The third sub-wiring part 125 is dummy wiring for noise shielding and may include one or more wires.

(19) The wiring part 120 may be formed of a conductive metal, for example, silver (Ag), gold (Au), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), chromium (Cr), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), vanadium (V), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), or an alloy thereof (e.g., silver-palladium-copper (APC)).

(20) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exposure mask for forming a group pattern according to the present invention.

(21) As shown in FIG. 2, the exposure mask 200 according to the present invention may include a sensing cell mask part 210, a wiring mask part 220, and so on. Here, the sensing cell mask part 210 and the wiring mask part 220 mean a sensing cell exposure area and a wiring exposure area, respectively.

(22) The sensing cell mask part 210 is for forming the sensing cell part 110 shown in FIG. 1, and a through hole or the like may be provided in an area where a sensing cell is formed.

(23) The wiring mask part 220 is for forming a plurality of wires through exposure, and may be disposed adjacent to the sensing cell mask part 210. The wiring mask part 220 may include a through slit in an area corresponding to the wire.

(24) The wiring mask part 220 may include a first sub-wiring mask part and a second sub-wiring mask part. The first sub-wiring mask part may form the first sub-wiring part 121 through exposure, and the second sub-wiring mask part may form the second sub-wiring part 123 through exposure. The second sub-wiring mask part may have more through slits than the first sub-wiring mask part.

(25) As shown in FIG. 2, the wiring mask part 220 may include a third sub-wiring mask part for forming dummy wiring for noise shielding outside the second sub-wiring part. The third sub-wiring mask part may include one or more through slits.

(26) In the exposure mask of FIG. 2, when the sensing cell and the wiring are made of the same material such as metal, the sensing cell mask part 210 and the wiring mask part 220 may be integrally formed. In the case of forming the sensing cell and the wiring with the transparent oxide and metal, respectively, the sensing cell mask part 210 and the wiring mask part 220 may be formed as separate entities.

(27) FIG. 3 is a plan view of a touch sensor in which a plurality of group patterns according to the present invention are repeatedly formed.

(28) As shown in FIG. 3, when the group patterns are adjacently and repeatedly patterned, three group patterns P1 to P3 having the same pattern may be formed to be connected to each other. The three group patterns P1 to P3 may be combined with each other to form a large-area touch sensor.

(29) First, the first group pattern P1 includes the sensing cell part 110 and the wiring part 120 shown in FIG. 1. In the first group pattern P1, the wiring part 120 includes a first sub-wiring part 121 and a second sub-wiring part 123, and the first sub-wiring part 121 is electrically connected to sensing cells at one end of the sensing cell part 110 and functions as drawing wiring.

(30) The second sub-wiring part 123 is non-drawing wiring that does not connect to the sensing cell of the sensing cell part 110, and may be dummy wiring through which all wires (area A) do not transmit signals.

(31) The second group pattern P2 includes the sensing cell part 110 and the wiring part 120 shown in FIG. 1. In the second group pattern P2, the wiring part 120 includes a first sub-wiring part 121 and a second sub-wiring part 123, and the first sub-wiring part 121 is electrically connected to sensing cells at one end of the sensing cell part 110 and functions as drawing wiring.

(32) In the second sub-wiring part 123, some wires (area B) function as signal transmission wires through which signals are transmitted, and other wires (area C) function as dummy wires through which signals are not transmitted.

(33) In the second sub-wiring part 123, some inner wires (area B) transmit signals with one side connected to the first sub-wiring part 121 of the first group pattern P1 and the other side connected to some wires of the second sub-wiring part 123 of the third group pattern P3.

(34) In the second sub-wiring part 123, some outer wires (area C) do not perform a signal transmission function because one side thereof is connected to the dummy wiring of the second sub-wiring part 123 of the first group pattern P1 and the other side thereof is not connected to the second sub-wiring part 123 of the third group pattern P3.

(35) The third group pattern P3 includes the sensing cell part 110 and the wiring part 120 shown in FIG. 1. In the third group pattern P3, the wiring part 120 includes a first sub-wiring part 121 and a second sub-wiring part 123, and the first sub-wiring part 121 is electrically connected to sensing cells at one end of the sensing cell part 110 to function as drawing wiring.

(36) The second sub-wiring part 123 functions as signal transmission wiring through which all wires (area D) transmit signals. In the second sub-wiring part 123, some inner wires function as signal transmission wires with one side connected to the first sub-wiring part 121 of the second group pattern P2. The remaining outer wires transmit signals of the first group pattern P1 with one side connected to the first sub-wiring part 121 of the first group pattern P1 via the second sub-wiring part 123 of the second group pattern P2 as a medium.

(37) FIG. 4 is a plan view of a touch sensor formed by connecting a plurality of unit patterns repeatedly according to the present invention.

(38) As shown in FIG. 4, each of the unit patterns Q1 to Qn may include one sensing cell group and a separate wiring part 320.

(39) The sensing cell part 310 may include a plurality of sensing cells connected in a line in a horizontal direction and a plurality of sensing cells connected by a bridge (not shown) in a vertical direction.

(40) The wiring part 320 may include a first sub-wiring part 321 and a second sub-wiring part 323.

(41) The first sub-wiring part 321 may include a drawing wire electrically connected to a sensing cell at one end of the sensing cell group of the unit pattern to extract a signal from the sensing cell part 310. The first sub-wiring part 321 may be disposed closest to the sensing cell part 310.

(42) The second sub-wiring part 323 may be disposed outside the first sub-wiring part 321. The second sub-wiring part 323 may include a non-drawing wire that is not electrically connected to the sensing cell part 310. The second sub-wiring part 323 may include at least as many non-drawing wires as the number of the unit patterns Q1 to Qn that are repeatedly formed to constitute a large-area touch sensor minus 1. In FIG. 4, n unit patterns Q1 to Qn are repeatedly formed to form a large-area touch sensor. In this case, the number of non-drawing wires of the second sub-wiring part 323 may be at least n−1.

(43) As shown in FIG. 4, the wiring part 320 may include a third sub-wiring part 325 outside the second sub-wiring part 323. The third sub-wiring part 325 is dummy wiring for noise shielding and may include one or more wires.

(44) The touch sensor of FIG. 4 exemplifies the formation of a large-area touch sensor by repeatedly forming n unit patterns Q1 to Qn having the same shape while connecting them in the vertical direction through a stitch method.

(45) First, in the first unit pattern Q1, the wiring part 320 includes a first sub-wiring part 321 having one wire and a second sub-wiring part 323 having n−1 wires. The one wire of the first sub-wiring part 321 is electrically connected to a sensing cell at one end of the sensing cell part 310 to function as a drawing wire, and the n−1 wires of the second sub-wiring part 323 function as dummy wires that do not transmit signals.

(46) In the second unit pattern Q2, the wiring part 320, like the first unit pattern Q1, includes a first sub-wiring part 321 having one wire and a second sub-wiring part 323 having n−1 wires. The one wire of the first sub-wiring part 321 is electrically connected to a sensing cell at one end of the sensing cell part 310 to function as a drawing wire. Among the wires of the second sub-wiring part 323, the (n−1)th wire from the outside which is adjacent to the first sub-wiring part 321 is connected to the first sub-wiring part 321 of the first unit pattern Q1 to transmit signals, and the remaining n−2 wires function as dummy wires that do not transmit signals.

(47) When the n-th unit pattern Qn is reached by repeating the third unit pattern Q3, the fourth unit pattern Q4, etc. in sequence, one wire of the first sub-wiring part 321 is electrically connected to a sensing cell at one end of the sensing cell part 310 to function as a drawing wire, and the n−1 wires of the second sub-wiring part 323 can function as signal transmission lines that transmit respective outgoing signals of the first unit pattern Q1 to the (n−1)th unit pattern Qn−1 described above. Here, the outermost wire of the second sub-wiring part 323 transmits the outgoing signal of the first sub-wiring part 321 of the first unit pattern Q1 to an electrode pad (not shown).

(48) As described above, in the touch sensor according to the present invention, unit patterns having a small area having the same pattern are repeatedly formed by a stitch method, so that a large area touch sensor can be easily formed.

(49) The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it will be understood that the present invention can be implemented in a modified form without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all differences within the equivalent range should be interpreted as being included in the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(50) 110,310: sensing cell part 120,320: wiring part 121,321: first sub-wiring part 123,323: second sub-wiring part 125,325: third sub-wiring part 200: exposure mask 210: sensing cell mask part 220: wiring mask part A,C: dummy wiring area B,D: signal transmission wiring area P1,P2,P3: first to third group pattern Q1-Qn: first to n-th unit pattern