SELECTIVE DIELECTRIC COATING

Abstract

The invention relates to a capacitive, planar information carrier with a first, second and third electrically conductive area wherein the first electrically conductive area is overprinted with a first dielectric layer having a first relative permittivity ∈1 and wherein the third electrically conductive area is overprinted with a second dielectric layer having a second relative permittivity ∈2. In another aspect, the invention relates to an information carrier formed from an electrically conductive surface of an object or an electrically conductive object. In other aspects, the invention relates to methods for the manufacture of information carriers, methods for detecting information carriers and to the use of an information carrier.

Claims

1. A capactive, planar information carrier (1) with a front side (6) and a back side (7), comprising an electrically non-conductive substrate (2) and a first, second and third electrically conductive area (3, 4, 5), wherein a) the electrically conductive areas (3, 4, 5), are applied at least on the front side (6) of the information carrier (1), b) a first dielectric layer (9) with a first relative permittivity ∈1 is arranged on top of the first electrically conductive area (3), and c) a second dielectric layer (10) with a second relative permittivity ∈2 is arranged on top of the third electrically conductive area (5).

2. Information The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first dielectric layer (9) consists of a dielectric ink comprising a first relative permittivity ∈1 of larger than 10.

3. Information The information carrier (1) according to that claim 1, wherein the second dielectric layer (10) consists of a dielectric ink comprising a second relative permittivity ∈2 of smaller than 4.

4. The information n carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive areas (3, 4, 5) are in galvanic and/or electric contact.

5. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the electrically non-conductive substrate (2) is made from flat, flexible, non-conductive materials selected from a group comprising paper, cardboard, plastic, wood-based material, composite, glass, ceramic, textile, leather, plastics and/or any combination thereof.

6. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive areas (3, 4, 5) and the dielectric layers (9, 10) are manufactured with additive printing methods selected from a group comprising offset printing, flexo printing, gravure printing, screen printing and/or digital printing.

7. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive areas (3, 4, 5) are manufactured with a chemical deposition method, a physical vapor deposition and/or a sputtering process.

8. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the material of the electrically conductive areas (3, 4, 5) is selected of a group comprising metal particles, nanoparticles, in particular silver, gold, cooper, and/or aluminum, electrically conductive particles, in particular carbon black, graphite, graphene, ATO (antimony tin oxide), electrically conductive polymer layer, in particular Pedot, PANI (polyaniline), polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polythiophene, pentacene or any combination thereof.

9. A method for manufacture of an information carrier (1) according claim 1, comprising the following steps a) providing an electrically non-conductive substrate (2), b) applying a first, second and third electrically conductive area (3, 4, 5) on the electrically non-conductive substrate (2), c) applying a first dielectric layer (9) comprising a dielectric ink comprising a first relative permittivity ∈1 on top of the first electrically conductive area (3), d) applying a second dielectric layer (10) comprising of a dielectric ink comprises a second relative permittivity ∈2 on top of the third electrically conductive area (5).

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first dielectric layer (9) comprises a first relative permittivity ∈1 of larger than 10 in the dried state.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second dielectric layer (10) comprises a second relative permittivity ∈2 of smaller than 4, preferably smaller than 3 and most preferably smaller than 2 in the dried state.

12. A method for the detection of an information carrier (1) according to claim 1 by a touch screen (12), wherein the front side (6) of the information carrier (1) is brought into contact with a touch screen (12).

13. A method for use of an information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first electrically conductive area (3) generates a local change of capacitance on a touch screen (12) by bringing into contact the information carrier (1) with a touch screen (12).

14. An information carrier (20) formed from an electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or an electrically conductive object (32), wherein a first part (28) of the electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or the electrically conductive object (32) is covered by a dielectric layer (9) with a first relative permittivity ∈1 generating a first signal on a capacitive reading device (34).

15. The information carrier (20) according to claim 14, wherein a second part (30) of the electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or the electrically conductive object (32) is covered by a dielectric layer (10) with a second relative permittivity ∈2 and/or a low-k spacer material (26), generating a second signal on a capacitive reading device (34), wherein the first (28) and the second (30) part form the electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or the electrically conductive object (32) that is read by the capacitive reading device (34).

16. A method or use of an information carrier (20) according to claim 14, wherein the first signal generated by the first part (28) of the electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or the electrically conductive object (32) is different from the second signal generated by the second part (30) of the electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or the electrically conductive object (32).

17. A method for manufacture of an information carrier (20) according to claim 14 comprising the following steps a) providing an electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or an electrically conductive object (32), and b) applying a dielectric layer (9) with a first relative permittivity ∈1 onto the first part (28) of the electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or the electrically conductive object (32).

18. A method for manufacture of an information carrier (20) according to claim 15 comprising the following steps a) providing an electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or an electrically conductive object (32), b) applying a dielectric layer (9) with a first relative permittivity ∈1 onto the first part (28) of the electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or the electrically conductive object (32) and c) applying a dielectric layer (10) with a second relative permittivity ∈2 and/or a low-k spacer material (26) onto the second part (30) of the electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or the electrically conductive object (32).

19. A method for the detection of an information carrier (20) according to claim 14 by a capacitive reading device (34), wherein the information carrier (20) is brought into contact with the capacitive reading device (34).

Description

[0090] These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will best be appreciated when considered in view of the following description of the accompanying drawings:

[0091] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an information carrier where steps a) and b) of the method of manufacture have been carried out, i.e. the electrically non-conductive substrate has been provided and the electrically non-conductive areas have been applied to the front side of the substrate.

[0092] FIG. 2 shows a side view of an Information carrier where the method of manufacture has been completed, i.e. the dielectric layers have been applied to the information carrier.

[0093] FIG. 3 shows a side view of an information carrier according to the present invention when brought in contact with a touch screen for reading the information encoded in the electrically conductive structure of the information carrier.

[0094] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an electrically conductive object in the sense of the invention.

[0095] FIG. 5 shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of an electrically conductive object in the sense of the invention.

[0096] FIG. 6 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an object comprising an electrically conductive surface.

[0097] FIG. 7 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an object comprising an electrically conductive surface with low-k spacers.

[0098] FIG. 8 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an object comprising an electrically conductive surface, wherein the detection of the information carrier is carried out by a capacitive reading device.

[0099] FIG. 9 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an electrically conductive object in the sense of the invention and, in particular, preferred embodiments of the first and second part.

[0100] FIG. 10 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an object comprising an electrically conductive surface with low-k spacers and, in particular, preferred embodiments of the first and second part.

[0101] FIG. 11 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an object comprising an electrically conductive surface and, in particular, preferred embodiments of the first and second part.

[0102] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an information carrier (1) comprising an electrically non-conductive substrate (2). On the front side (6) of said substrate (2), an electrically conductive structure is printed which comprises three different electrically conductive areas, i.e. the touch points (3), a coupling area (4) and conductive traces (5). The detection of the touch points (3) is desired in the context of the present invention. The detection of the coupling area (4) and the conductive traces (5) is not desired in the context of the present invention. In the context of the present invention, it is preferred that the conductive traces (5) connect the touch points (3) with the at least one coupling area (4) of the electrically conductive structure and/or with each other. It is preferred that the capacitive impact of the coupling area (4) and in particular the conductive traces (5) on a touch screen (12) is reduced compared to the capacitive impact of the touch points (3) on a touch screen (12).

[0103] In order to provide an increased capacitive contrast between the touch points (3) on the one hand and the conductive traces on the other hand, the first and the third electrically conductive area of the information carrier (1) are overprinted with dielectric layers (9, 10) made from materials having different dielectric properties, in particular having different relative permittivities. It is preferred that the conductive traces (5) are overprinted with a dielectric material that has a low relative permittivity in the range smaller than 4. The touch points are preferably overprinted by a dielectric material having a relative permittivity larger than 10, more preferably larger than 20 and most preferably larger than 40. The dielectric material, which is used for overprinting the conductive traces (5), is preferably referred to as low-k dielectric material in the context of the present invention. It is preferred that the dielectric material, which is used for overprinting the touch points (3), is referred to as high-k dielectric material.

[0104] FIG. 2 shows a side view of an information carrier (1) where the method of manufacture has been completed, i.e. the dielectric layers (9, 10) have been applied to the information carrier (1). As can be seen from FIG. 2, which shows a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the dielectric layer (10), consisting of a low-k dielectric material, covers the conductive traces (5), the coupling area (4) and the electrically non-conductive substrate (2). Thereby, the capacitive traces that area are covered with the second dielectric material having a low-k relative permittivity, have a reduced capacitive impact on a touch screen (12). The touch points (3) are overprinted with the first dielectric layer (9), which is formed from a high-k material. These areas show an increased capacitive impact on a touch screen (12).

[0105] FIG. 3 shows a side view of an information carrier (1) according to the present invention when brought in contact with a touch screen (12) for reading the information encoded in the electrically conductive structure (3, 4, 5) of the information carrier (1). As can be seen from FIG. 3, the information carrier (1) is brought into contact with the touch screen (12) with the front side (6) of the information carrier (1) facing the surface of the touch screen (12).

[0106] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an electrically conductive object (32) in the sense of the invention. An information carrier (20) is shown comprising an electrically conductive object (32) which serves as a substrate for two different dielectric layers (9, 10) which differ in their electric properties, in particular their relative permittivities ∈. The first part (28) of the electrically conductive object (32) is overprinted with a layer (9) of a high-k material with a relative permittivity in a range of preferably larger than 10, more preferably larger than 20 and most preferably larger than 40. The electrically conductive object (32) further comprises a second part (30) which is overprinted with a layer (10) of a low-k material with a relative permittivity in a range of preferably smaller than 4, more preferably smaller than 3 and most preferably smaller than 2 in the dried state. It is preferred that the first part (28) of the electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or the electrically conductive object (32) generates a first signal on a capacitive reading device (34) and that the second part (30) of the electrically conductive surface (22) of an object (24) or the electrically conductive object (32) generates a second signal on a capacitive reading device (34).

[0107] FIG. 5 shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of an electrically conductive object (32) in the sense of the invention. An information carrier (20) according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown comprising an electrically conductive object (32) which is covered by two different types of layers (9, 10) consisting of high/low-k material respectively. Layer (9) represents the first part (28) of the information carrier generating a first signal. The remaining part of the electrically conductive object (32) is overprinted with layer (10) comprising a low-k material and will preferably referred to as “second part” of the electrically conductive surface of an object or the electrically conductive object.

[0108] FIG. 6 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an information carrier (20) comprising an object (24) comprising an electrically conductive surface (22). The electrically conductive surface (22) comprises a first part (28) that is overprinted with a layer (9) comprising a high-k material with a relative permittivity ∈1, whereas the second part (30) is overprinted by a layer (10) comprising low-k material with a relative permittivity ∈.sub.2.

[0109] FIG. 7 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an information carrier (20) comprising an object (24) comprising an electrically conductive surface (22) with low-k spacer material (26) covering at least partially the second part (30) of the electrically conductive surface (22) of the information carrier (20). In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 7, the low-k spacer material (26) is formed from dots or small hills, wherein the space between said dots or hills is preferably filled with air. The first part (28) of the electrically conductive surface (22) of the information carrier (20) is covered by the layer (9) comprising high-k material with a relative permittivity ∈1.

[0110] FIG. 8 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an object (24) comprising an electrically conductive surface (22), wherein the detection of the information carrier (20) is carried out by a capacitive reading device (34).

[0111] FIG. 9 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an electrically conductive object (32) in the sense of the invention and, in particular, preferred embodiments of the first (28) and second part (30) of the electrically conductive object (32).

[0112] FIG. 10 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an object (24) comprising an electrically conductive surface (22) with low-k spacers (26) and, in particular, preferred embodiments of the first (28) and second part (30. As can be seen from FIG. 10, the first part (28) is formed from the sub-areas of the dielectric layer (9) with high permittivity ∈1, wherein the second part (30) is formed from the low-k-spacer material (26).

[0113] FIG. 11 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of an object (24) comprising an electrically conductive surface (22) and, in particular, preferred embodiments of the first (28) and second part (30) of the electrically conductive surface (22).

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0114] 1 capacitive information carrier [0115] 2 electrically non-conductive substrate [0116] 3 electrically conductive area, i.e. touch points [0117] 4 electrically conductive area, i.e. coupling area [0118] 5 electrically conductive area, i.e. conductive trace [0119] 6 front side [0120] 7 back side [0121] 9 dielectric layer with high permittivity [0122] 10 dielectric layer with low permittivity [0123] 11 device with touch screen [0124] 12 touch screen [0125] 20 information carrier [0126] 22 electrically conductive surface of an object [0127] 24 object [0128] 26 low-k spacer material [0129] 28 first part of the electrically conductive surface of an object or the electrically conductive object [0130] 30 second part of the electrically conductive surface of an object or the electrically conductive object [0131] 32 electrically conductive object [0132] 34 capacitive reading device