Abstract
The present invention relates to an information carrier comprising an electrically non-conductive substrate with an electrically conductive layer arranged as a pattern which encodes information, wherein said pattern is formed from at least one input region, at least one connecting line and at least one contact area. The information carrier is inter alia characterized in that the sub areas of the at least one input region have an area coverage in a range of 20 to 80% and/or the at least one contact area has an area coverage in a range of 5 to 80%. In further aspects, the invention relates to a use of said information carrier and a method of manufacture.
Claims
1. An information carrier (1) comprising an electrically non-conductive substrate (2) with an electrically conductive layer arranged as a pattern (13) which encodes information wherein said electrically conductive pattern (13) is formed from at least one input region (3), at least one connecting line (5) and at least one contact area (4) wherein the at least one input region (3) and the at least one connecting line (5) are formed from at least two sub areas each, wherein the sub areas of the at least one input region (3) have an area coverage in a range of 20 to 80% and/or the at least one contact area (4) has an area coverage in a range of 5 to 80%.
2. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sub areas of the input region (3) comprise a grid pattern which is selected from a group comprising a honeycomb pattern, Voronoi pattern, half tone patterns with the single dots being connected either intended or by dot gain, regular square shapes, irregular square shapes, completely printed sub areas, sub areas having an area coverage of less than 80%, description fields and/or any combination thereof.
3. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sub areas of the input region (3) comprise rays, lines and/or curves or any combination thereof.
4. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sub areas of the input region (3) has an area coverage in a range of preferably 20 to 80%, more preferably 40 to 80% and most preferably 60 to 80%.
5. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one contact area (4) has a free form and/or an outline (8) enclosing an area of the at least one contact area (4) with a minimal area of preferably 0.2 cm.sup.2, more preferably 0.5 cm.sup.2, most preferably 1 cm.sup.2.
6. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one contact area (4) comprises a grid pattern which is selected from a group comprising a honeycomb pattern, Voronoi pattern, regular square shapes, irregular square shapes, completely printed sub areas, sub areas having an area coverage of less than 80%, description fields and/or any combination thereof.
7. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one contact area (4) comprises rays, lines and/or curves or any combination thereof.
8. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one contact area (4) has an area coverage in a range of preferably 5 to 80%, more preferably 10 to 80% and most preferably 20 to 80%.
9. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one contact area (4) comprises a collector area (7) for joining the grid pattern which is selected from a group comprising a honeycomb pattern, Voronoi pattern, regular square shapes, irregular square shapes, completely printed sub areas, sub areas having an area coverage of less than 80%, description fields and/or any combination thereof influencing a charge density of the at least on contact area (4).
10. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sub areas of the connecting lines (5) have an essentially rectangular area with broad sides and the long sides, the ratio of said broad sides and the long sides lying in a range of preferably 1:500 to 1:5, more preferably 1:100 to 1:10, most preferably 1:50 to 1:10.
11. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive pattern (13) is formed from electrically conductive materials selected from a group comprising electrically conductive ink; metal particles or nanoparticles; electrically conductive particles, in particular carbon black, graphite, graphene, ATO (antimony tin oxide), electrically conductive polymers, in particular Pedot:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), Polystyrene sulfonate), PANI (polyaniline), ITO, EDot, salts, polyacetylene, polypyrrole, polythiophene, conductive threads and other conductive material types or coatings and/or pentacene or any combination thereof.
12. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sub areas of the input region (3) have essentially elliptical areas.
13. The information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sub areas of the input region (3) have an outline (8) enclosing an area of the input region (3).
14. A use of an information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the electrical potential of the sub areas of the input region (3) is influenced by a human user touching the at least one contact area (4) and the electrical potential of the sub areas of the input region (3) cause a local change in capacitance on a touch screen (14).
15. A method of manufacture an information carrier (1) according to claim 1, wherein the information carrier (1) is manufactured by methods selected from a group preferably comprising additive printing methods, more preferably comprising screen printing, gravure printing, intaglio, inkjet printing, pad printing, offset lithography, letter press and most preferably comprising flexographic printing, or any combination thereof.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
[0082] These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be best appreciated when considered in view of the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings:
[0083] FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier according to the present invention with a contact area comprising two collector areas, an outline and a ray pattern.
[0084] FIG. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier according to the present invention with a contact area comprising an alternatively designed ray pattern.
[0085] FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier according to the present invention with sub areas of the input region comprising an outline and a grid pattern.
[0086] FIG. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier according to the present invention with a contact area comprising an outline and a grid pattern.
[0087] FIG. 5 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier according to the present invention with two contact areas comprising negatively and positively filled patterns wherein the information carrier is part of a packaging showing an exemplary mode of application.
[0088] FIG. 6 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier according to the present invention with sub areas of the input region comprising an outline and ray patterns and a contact area comprising an outline and an irregular grid pattern.
[0089] FIG. 7 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier according to the present invention with sub areas of the input region comprising an outline and a grid pattern (hexagonal unit cell) and a contact area comprising an outline and a grid pattern (rhomb unit cell).
[0090] FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier (1) according to the present invention with a contact area (4) comprising two collector areas (7), an outline (8) and a ray pattern (6). The information carrier (1) consists of an electrically non-conductive substrate (2) on which an electrically conductive pattern (13) is applied. The electrically conductive pattern (13) consists of an input region (3), at least one contact area (4) and connecting lines (5). The input region (3) is formed from single sub areas which have essentially elliptical areas and are connected to each other by single sub areas of the connecting lines (5). In FIG. 1, the sub areas of the input region (3) are completely filled. In the context of this application, this complete filling of the sub areas of the input region (3) is also referred to an area coverage of 100%. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the sub areas of the input region (3) can be arranged in a straight line as the three sub areas of the input region represented by the right string of sub areas. The sub areas of the input-area (3) may also be arranged in any other spatial relation as can be seen from the left string of sub areas of the input region (3) in FIG. 1 or from FIGS. 2 to 5 of the present application. Two of the five sub areas of the input region (3) in FIG. 1 are directly connected to the contact area (4) of the information carrier. In the context of this application, the term “direct connection” refers to two areas that are linked by a connecting line without a further sub area in between. The other three sub areas of the input region (3) are indirectly connected to the contact area (4) meaning that a further sub area is part of the connection.
[0091] The sub areas of the connecting lines (5) connect either two sub areas of the input region (3) to each other or one sub area of the input region (3) to the contact area (4). The connecting lines comprise a long side and a broad side wherein the contact to the areas to be connected by the connecting line is realized by the shorter broad side of the connecting line. Essentially, the sub areas of the connecting line (5) have a rectangular shape. The lengths of the long sight of the connecting line (5) correspond to the distance between the two areas which are connected by the corresponding connecting line (5).
[0092] In FIG. 1, a contact area (4) is shown comprising an outline (8), a ray pattern (6) and two collector areas (7). The two collector areas (7) are arranged at the interface between the contact area (4) and the connecting line (5). The collector areas (7) in FIG. 1 have the shape of part circles and represent a preferred embodiment of the collector areas (7) according to the present invention. The contact area (4) of the present invention has an outline (8) which encloses and defines the area of the contact area (4). In the exemplary contact area (4) of FIG. 1 the outline (8) and the collector areas (7) are connected by rays (6) which are sent out by the collector areas (7). As an example, the density of the rays (6) is not constant over the area of the contact area (4). In the central region of the contact area (4) between the collector areas (7), the density of rays (6) is maximal whereas the density of rays (6) is smaller in the vicinity of the outline (8) of the contact area (4).
[0093] Up to now, persons skilled in the art thought that a complete filling of the sub areas of the input region (3) and/or the contact area (4) was necessary the enable reliable detection of the touch points (4) by a touch screen (14) and provide good transfer properties of the contact area (4). This idea was due to the operation mode of capacitive touch screens (14).
[0094] A human user who touches the contact area (4) of the information carrier (1) according to the present invention transmits his electrical potential to the components of the electrically conductive pattern (13) of the information carrier (1). As the components of the electrically conductive pattern (13), i.e. the sub areas of the input region (3), the contact area (4) and the connecting lines (5), are made from a conductive material, the electrical potential of the human user is transferred to all components of the electrically conductive pattern (13) as a change in capacitance. When the information carrier (1) is brought into contact with a touchscreen (14) or a touchscreen (14) bearing device, the touch controller of the touchscreen (14) will detect the sub areas of the input region (3) of the information carrier (1) due to the change in capacitance which is caused upon the electrodes of the touch controller by the sub areas of the input region (3).
[0095] The sub areas of the connecting lines (5) influence the electrodes of the touch controller of the touchscreen (14). This influence of the sub areas of the connecting lines (5) is not desired in the context of the present invention and this influence is advantageously reduced by the preferred design of the electrically conductive pattern (13) of the information carrier (1) according to the present invention.
[0096] FIG. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier according to the present invention with a contact area (4) comprising an alternatively designed ray pattern (6). As can be seen from FIG. 2, the sub areas of the input region (3) only form one string of three single sub areas of the input region (3) wherein the sub areas of the input region (3) are connected by sub areas of the connecting lines (5). One of the sub areas of the input region (3) is directly connected to the contact area (4) of the information carrier (1). The other two sub areas of the input region (3) are indirectly connected to the contact area (4).
[0097] In FIG. 2, the contact area (4) of the information carrier (1) is formed by rays (6) and an outline (8). In this example of a preferred design of the contact area (4) the shape of the contact area (4) is five-edged, and the contact area (4) does not comprise any collector areas (7). The rays (6) forming the contact area (4) comprise main lines and side lines which run from contact area (4) to the opposite edges of the contact area (4) or end in other main or side rays (6). Input region (3), connecting lines (5) and the contact area (4) form an entity of electrically conductive components which is in the context of the present invention referred to as electrically conductive pattern (13). This electrically conductive pattern (13) is applied on an electrically non-conductive substrate (2).
[0098] FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier (1) according to the present invention with sub areas of the input region (3) comprising an outline (8) and a grid pattern (9). FIG. 3 shows an electrically conductive pattern (13), which is exemplary, formed by a completely filled contact area (4), sub areas of connecting lines (5) and sub areas of an input region (3). In FIG. 3, the sub areas of the input region (3) are formed by an outline (8) and a grid pattern (9), which fills the single sub areas of the input region (3). In the context of the present invention, the term “grid” refers to a two-dimensional structure formed from a serious of intersecting straight, vertical, horizontal and/or angular or curved lines. FIG. 3 shows a grid pattern (9) consisting of six-edge shaped honeycomb structures that are arranged next to each other so that every edge of one honeycomb structure equally represents an edge of an adjacent honeycomb structure. In the context of the present invention, a grid pattern (9) as shown in FIG. 3 of the present invention will be referred to as a symmetric grid pattern (9). The term “symmetric” refers to an object that appears the same along an axis or when rotated around a point of symmetry. The symmetry axis has to cross the shape through the middle.
[0099] FIG. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier (1) according to the present invention with a contact area (4) comprising an outline (8) and a grid pattern (9). The electrically conductive pattern (13) is in FIG. 4 exemplarily formed by completely filled sub areas of the input region (3), connecting lines (5) and a contact area (4), which is formed by an outline (8) and the grid pattern (9). Again, this grid pattern (9) is formed from honeycomb structures having six edges.
[0100] FIG. 5 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier (1) according to the present invention with two contact areas (4) comprising negatively (11) and positively (10) filled patterns wherein the information carrier (1) is part of a packaging showing an exemplary mode of application. The electrically conductive pattern (13) in FIG. 5 consists of completely filled sub areas of the input region (3), connecting lines (5) and two contact areas (4). The left contact area (4) is formed from an outline (8) and an individual filled pattern, which is in the context of the present invention referred to as a “negative filled pattern”. A negative filled pattern stands for a contact area (4) or a sub area of an input region (3) which is completely filled except of the essential graphic parts of a graphic design or a logo. Thus, neither the logo nor the graphic design is printed onto the substrate (2) of the information carrier (1) but the optical effect of the graphic design of a logo is achieved by omitting a graphic design or the logo within an area with solid filing. The optical effect of this negative filled pattern can be compared to a negative when developing a photograph.
[0101] The second contact area shown on the right side of FIG. 5 consists of an outline (8) and a “positive filled pattern”. This means in the context of the present invention, that the essential parts of the pattern are printed with the electrically conductive material onto the electrically non-conductive substrate (2). In FIG. 5, the information carrier (1) according to the present invention is attached to an object, in this case a packaging. The outlines and the borderlines between the different parts of the packaging are marked by die lines (12). FIG. 6 shows a preferred embodiment of an information carrier (1) according to the present invention with electrically conductive sub areas of the input region (3) formed by an outline (8) and ray patterns (6) and an contact area (4) formed by an outline (8) and an irregular grid pattern (9).
[0102] In particular, FIG. 6 shows an information carrier (1) where the electrically conductive sub areas of the input region (3) as well as the contact area (4) are designed using either a grid (9) and/or a ray pattern (6). Furthermore, the sub areas of the input region (3) show two preferred arrangements according to the present invention. The sub areas of the input region (3) in the upper half of the information carrier shown in FIG. 6 show how a ray pattern can be designed to point to a spot being different to the center of the touch point (3). The touch points (3) in the lower half of the information carrier shown in FIG. 6 show how the lines points exactly to the center of a touch point (3). For some applications, ray and grid patterns can be combined and arranged together on an information carrier (1) according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
[0103] FIG. 7 shows another preferred embodiment of an information carrier (1) according to the present invention with sub areas of the input region (3) comprising an outline (8) and a grid pattern (9) and a contact area (4) comprising an outline (8) and a grid pattern (9). FIG. 7 illustrates that an information carrier (1) according to the present invention may comprise differently designed grid patterns. The grid pattern of the input region (3) is designed as hexagonal unit cell, whereas the grid pattern of the contact area (4) is designed as rhomb unit cell. Furthermore, FIG. 7 presents that the sub areas of the input region (3) has an area coverage different to that one for the contact area (4).
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0104] 1 capacitive information carrier [0105] 2 electrically non-conductive substrate [0106] 3 electrically conductive area (sub area of input region) [0107] 4 electrically conductive area (contact area) [0108] 5 electrically conductive area (connecting line) [0109] 6 ray pattern [0110] 7 collector area [0111] 8 outline [0112] 9 grid pattern [0113] 10 individual filled pattern: positive [0114] 11 individual filled pattern: negative [0115] 12 die line [0116] 13 electrically conductive pattern
