In-mould molding touch module and method for manufacturing the same

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-mould molding touch module and a method for manufacturing the same, and more specifically, to a module technology employing an in-mould injecting technology to contain a touch panel having a sensing circuit.

[0002] In-mould Touch is a technology deriving from combining an in-mould injecting technology and a manufacturing technology of touch panels.

[0003] The in-mould injecting technology in the industry includes an in mold label (IML) technology. A patent WO No. 00/39883 discloses an antenna and a method for manufacturing the same, which employ the IML technology. The technology of the patent discloses inserting a plate having a conducting ink antenna circuit printed thereon into a cavity of a mold, and then injects a molding material into the cavity to manufacture the product containing the embedded antenna circuit therein for protecting the antenna circuit, and for preventing the antenna circuit from fretting and renting. However, the IML technology is not developed to be used to manufacture the touch panel with the in-mould injecting technology in industry.

[0004] Relating to touch panels, a technology for using indium tin oxide (ITO) coated on a glass substrate to form a touch sense circuit is public. However, the technology for forming the touch sense circuit is not developed to be used to manufacture the touch panel with the in-mould injecting technology.

[0005] Furthermore, the patent WO No. 00/39883 discloses a method for containing the antenna by the IML technology, and fails to disclose a technology for applying the IML to manufacturing an inducing capacitive touch panel. The patent WO No. 00/39883 does also not disclose a technology for using conductive printing ink to manufacturing a touch panel configured for pushing and pressing. There is no relative technology to disclose whether a one-piece touch module, having an ITO and a carrier coating the ITO thereon, may be manufacturing by the in-mould injecting technology.

[0006] What is needed is an in-mould molding touch module, which can solve the above problems.

[0007] An in-mould molding touch module includes a plastic film, a touch circuit and a molding rind. The plastic film includes an inner surface and an outer surface for handling and touching. At least one region of the inner surface and a corresponding region of the outer surface define a touch area. The touch circuit is arranged on the inner surface in the touch area. The molding rind is integrated on the inner surface by an in-mould injecting mode to contain the touch circuit for forming a one-piece body.

[0008] The touch circuit is an inducing capacitive touch circuit made of indium tin oxide (ITO) or a press touch circuit made of conductive printing ink. The outer surface and the inner surface may define a first touch region coated with an inducing capacitive touch circuit and a second touch region coated with a press touch circuit. Therefore, the in-mould molding touch module has a thin thickness, and eliminates a ladderlike thickness and a gap arranged between the joint surfaces. Consequently, the in-mould molding touch module can avoid congregating the dust, and is prone to be thin.

[0009] A method for manufacturing an in-mould molding touch module in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, includes:

• • [0010] 1) providing a plastic film having an inner surface and an outer surface for handling and touching, and at least one region of the inner surface and a corresponding region of the outer surface defining a touch area;
  • [0011] (2) coating an ITO layer on the inner surface in the touch area by a vacuum sputtering mode;
  • [0012] (3) exposing, developing and etching the ITO layer to form an inducing capacitive touch circuit; and
  • [0013] (4) inserting the plastic film having the inducing capacitive touch circuit coated thereon into a cavity of an injecting device, and injecting molding material into the cavity to form a molding rind integrated with the inner surface to contain the inducing capacitive touch sense circuit for forming a one-piece body.

[0014] The plastic film may be made of a soft rubber film having a heat-resistance capability higher than the temperature in the injecting mold and the vacuum sputtering process, and the ITO layer has heat-resistance capability higher than the temperature in the injecting mold. Thus, the method can be performed favorably, and can simplify the manufacturing processes and decrease the manufacturing time. Furthermore, the inducing capacitive touch circuit can be replaced by a press touch circuit, and the press touch circuit is formed by coating a conductive printing ink by a printing mode. In another embodiment, the plastic film has a first touch region and a second touch region. The inducing capacitive touch circuit is formed in the first touch region, and the press touch circuit is formed in the second touch region. Accordingly, the method is prone to manufacture a touch panel of an electric device having a single sense touch region, and the method has a characteristic of thin design.

[0015] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0039] Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe a preferred embodiment of the present in-mould molding touch module, in detail.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an in-mould molding touch module, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is shown. The in-mould molding touch module 10 includes a plastic film 1, a touch circuit 2 and a molding rind 3.

[0041] The plastic film 1 includes an inner surface 11 (as shown in FIG. 3) and an outer surface 12 for handling and touching. A touch region 13 is defined by a region of the inner surface 11 and a corresponding region of the outer surface 12.

[0042] The touch circuit 2 is arranged on the inner surface 11 in the touch sense region 13.

[0043] The molding rind 3 is integrated on the inner surface 11 by an in-mould injecting mode to contain the touch sense circuit 2 for forming a one-piece body.

[0044] In one embodiment, the plastic film 1 can be made of a soft rubber film (as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3). A plurality of touch members 121 for judging touch positions are formed on the outer surface 12 in the touch sense region 13. The touch members 121 and the outer surface 12 are one-piece. The touch circuit 2 may be an inducing capacitive touch circuit 21 (as shown in FIG. 6) made of transparent ITO, or may be a press touch circuit 22 made of conductive printing ink (as shown in FIG. 5). The ITO is coated on the inner surface 11 in the touch sense region 13 by a vacuum sputtering mode.

[0045] According to another embodiment, the in-mould molding touch module 10a (as shown in FIG. 11) includes a plastic film 1a, an inducing capacitive touch circuit 21a, a press touch circuit 22a and a molding rind 3a.

[0046] The plastic film 1a includes an inner surface 11a (as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13) and an outer surface 12a for handling and touching. A first region of the inner surface 11a and a first corresponding region of the outer surface 12a define a first touch region 14a, and a second region of the inner surface 11a and a second corresponding region of the outer surface 12a defines a second touch region 13a.

[0047] The inducing capacitive touch circuit 21a is made of transparent ITO and formed on the inner surface 11a in the first touch region (as shown in FIG. 13).

[0048] The press touch circuit 22a is made of conductive printing ink and formed on the inner surface 11a in the second touch region 13a(as shown in FIG. 3).

[0049] The molding rind 3a is integrated on the inner surface 11a by the in-mould injecting mode to contain the press touch circuit 22a for forming a one-piece body (as shown in FIG. 3).

[0050] A plurality of touch members 121a for judging touch positions are formed on the outer surface 12a in the second touch region 13a (as shown in FIG. 3). And the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21a is contained in the molding rind 3a (as shown in FIG. 13).

[0051] According to another embodiment, a window 31b (as shown in FIG. 17 to 19) is formed in the in-mould molding touch module 10b to expose the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21b on the inner surface 11b of the plastic film 1b in the first touch region. A display unit 4 is configured in the window 31b. The portion of the plastic film 1b corresponding to the first touch region 14b is transparent so that the display unit 4 can display images through the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21b and the plastic film 1b.

[0052] Therefore, the in-mould molding touch module 10a or 10b can serve as a touch panel having two different touch regions. The in-mould molding touch module has a thin thickness, and eliminates a ladderlike thickness and a gap arranged between the joint surfaces. Consequently, the in-mould molding touch module can avoid congregating the dust, and is prone to be thin.

[0053] A method for manufacturing the in-mould molding touch module 10 (as shown in FIGS. 1 to FIG. 3), includes:

[0054] (1) providing a plastic film 1, the plastic film 1 including an inner surface 11 (as shown in FIG. 3) and an outer surface 12 for handling and touching. At least one region of the inner surface 11 and a corresponding region of the outer surface 12 define a touch area 13. In the second touch region 13, a plurality of touch members 121 for judging touch positions are formed on the outer surface 12.
(2) coating a transparent ITO layer 51 on the inner surface 11 in the touch region 13 by a vacuum sputtering mode (as shown in FIG. 4). Preferably, the plastic film 1 is arranged in a vacuum sputtering device. The vacuum sputtering device may be an advanced low-temperature vacuum sputtering nano-manufacturing device in the industry. The vacuum sputtering device uses Ar ions to bombard an ITO target for bombarding atoms of the ITO target to deposit on the inner surface 11 of the plastic film 1 for forming a transparent ITO layer 51 coated on the plastic film 1. The transparent ITO layer 51 has an excellent conductive capability. Since the low-temperature vacuum sputtering technology can reduce a working temperature to 60 centigrade degrees, the plastic film 1 may have a high steady capability in the vacuum sputtering process.
(3) exposing, developing and etching the ITO layer 51 to form a inducing capacitive touch circuit 21 (as shown in FIG. 6) being reticular on the inner surface 11 of the plastic film 1. The inducing capacitive touch circuit 21 forms a plurality of capacitor grids 210 (as shown in FIG. 7) between the interlaced reticular lines 211, 212. For user's finger touch the outer surface 12 of the plastic film 1 to cause the inducing capacitor grids 210 of the inner surface 11 of the touching location sensing sensitively and increasing the current to produce a current signal corresponding to the coordinate values, the reticular lines 211,212 extend to for forming at least two outer terminals 213, 214 configured for electrically connecting to a controller through a flexible circuit or a lead for outputting the current signal.
(4) inserting the plastic film 1 having the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21 coated thereon into a cavity 71 (as shown in FIG. 8) of an injecting device 6 to be served as an inserter of the cavity 71. The injecting device 6 may be a common device for injecting melting plastic, and may include a mold 7 having the cavity 71 therein. The cavity 71 is corresponding to the shape of the in-mould molding touch module 10. The cavity 71 includes a space corresponding to the substrate 1, the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21 and the molding rind 3 for containing the plastic film 1 therein. Furthermore, the processing temperature of the injecting melting plastic of the injecting device 6 is approximately 250 to 300 centigrade degrees, and the temperature of the cavity 71 is generally controlled between 60 to 150 centigrade degrees. Thus the plastic film 1 can be made of a soft rubber film having a heat-resistance capability higher than the temperature in the injecting mold and the vacuum sputtering process, and the ITO layer has heat-resistance capability higher than the temperature in the injecting mold. Thus, the plastic film 1 and the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21 being contained in the cavity 71 can maintain a steadily invariability. At that time, the mold 7 is closed, and the molding material (generally be melting rubber) is injected into the cavity 71 (as shown in FIG. 9). Then the mold 7 is opened (as shown in FIG. 10) to form a molding rind 3 (as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3), which is integrated on the inner surface 11 of the plastic film 1 to contain the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21 therein for forming a one-piece body.

[0055] Another method for manufacturing the in-mould molding touch module 10 (as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3), includes:

(1) providing a plastic film 1 including an inner surface 11 (as shown in FIG. 3) and an outer surface 12 for handling and touching. At least one region of the inner surface 11 and a corresponding region of the outer surface 12 define a touch area 13.

(2) coating a conductive printing ink film 52 on the inner surface 11 in the touch region 13 by a printing mode (as shown in FIG. 4).

(3) exposing, developing and etching the conductive printing ink film 52 to form a press touch circuit 22 (as shown in FIG. 5).

[0056] (4) inserting the plastic film 1 having the press touch circuit 22 coated thereon into a cavity 71 (as shown in FIG. 8) of an injecting device 6 to be served as an inserter of the cavity 71. After the mold 7 is closed (as shown in FIG. 9), molding materials are injected into the cavity 71 to form a molding rind 3 (as shown in FIG. 10), which is integrated on the inner surface 11 of the plastic film 1 to contain the press touch circuit 22 therein for forming a one-piece body.

[0057] In addition, we can employ the above method to select the plastic film 1 and form the touch sense members 121 on the outer surface 12 of the plastic film 1.

[0058] Thus a touch panel having a single press touch region is formed, and the method has a characteristic of thin design.

[0059] Another method for manufacturing the in-mould molding touch module 10a (as shown in FIG. 11 to FIG. 13), includes:

[0060] (1) providing a plastic film 1a including an inner surface 11a and an outer surface 12a for handling and touching. A first region of the inner surface 11a and a first corresponding region of the outer surface 12a define a first touch region 14a, and a second region of the inner surface 11a and a second corresponding region of the outer surface 12a defines a second touch region 13a.
(2) coating a transparent ITO layer 51a on the inner surface 11a in the first touch region 14a by a vacuum sputtering mode.
(3) coating a conductive printing ink film 52a on the inner surface 11a in the second touch region 13a by a vacuum sputtering mode.
(4) exposing, developing and etching the ITO layer 51a and the conductive printing ink film 52a to form an inducing capacitive touch circuit 21a made of ITO 51a and a press touch circuit 22a made of conductive printing ink film 52a.
(5) inserting the plastic film 1a having the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21a and the press touch circuit 22a coated thereon into a cavity 71 (as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15) of an injecting device 6 to be served as an inserter of the cavity 71, and then injecting molding materials into the cavity 71 to form a molding rind 3a (as shown in FIG. 16). The molding rind 3a is integrated on the inner surface 11a of the plastic film 1a to at least contain the press touch sense circuit 22a therein for forming a one-piece body.

[0061] In addition, we can employ the above method to select the plastic film 1a and form the touch sense members 121a on the outer surface 12a of the plastic film 1.

[0062] According to another method, the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21b (as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19) can be covered in the cavity 71b of an injecting device 6b (as shown in FIG. 20). After the mold 7b is closed (as shown in FIG. 21) and molding materials are injected into the cavity 71b. A window 31b is formed in the mold rind 3b to expose the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21b. The mold rind 3b can further contain the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21b therein for forming the one-piece body.

[0063] Therefore, in the method for manufacturing the in-mould molding touch module 10b, the display unit 4 can be configured in the window 31b to display images through the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21b and the transparent region of the plastic film 1b.

[0064] Thus a touch panel having a sense touch region and a press touch region can be formed, and the touch panel has a characteristic of thin design.

[0065] As described in the above, the plastic film 1, 1a or 1b coated with the inducing capacitive touch circuit 21, 21a or 21b and the press touch circuit 22 or 22a can be favorably inserted into the cavity 71,71a or 71b to combine with the melting molding material. Furthermore, the plastic film 1, 1a or 1b may be made of a material, which can satisfy the heating resistance condition of the manufacturing processes.

[0066] Since the method employs the molding rind 3, 3a or 3b to contain the touch substrate 1, 1a or 1b by the in-mould injecting technology, the method is favorably performed in the injecting device having conditions of auto inputting material and outputting material. Therefore, the method can increase the auto producing capability.

[0067] The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein, including configurations ways of the recessed portions and materials and/or designs of the attaching structures. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.