# US 10,372,280 B2 · Capacitive sensor

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- Number: US 10,372,280 B2
- Document ID: US10372280B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/642,459
- Filed: 2017-07-06
- Published: 2017-10-26
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-16
- Assignees: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Tomoyuki Yamai; Mitsuo Bito; Yasuyuki Kitamura; Yuta Hiraki; Setsuo Ishibashi; Manabu Yazawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372280B2

## CPC

- G06F 3/044: by capacitive means
- G06F 3/0443: {using a single layer of sensing electrodes}
- B32B 15/02: {Layer formed of wires, e.g. mesh}
- G02F 1/13338: {Input devices, e.g. touch panels}
- G06F 3/04164: {Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads}
- G06F 3/0448: {Details of the electrode shape, e.g. for enhancing the detection of touches, for generating specific electric field shapes, for enhancing display quality}
- B32B 2307/202: Conductive
- B32B 2307/412: Transparent
- B32B 2457/208: Touch screens
- G06F 2203/04112: Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS

## Abstract

A capacitive sensor includes a base material provided with a pattern of a light-transmissive conductive film. The light-transmissive conductive film contains metal nanowires. The pattern includes a detection pattern formed of a plurality of detection electrodes arranged with intervals and a plurality of lead-out wirings linearly extending in a first direction from the corresponding ones of the plurality of the detection electrodes. At least one of the detection electrodes of the detection pattern includes a current path-setting section for elongating the linear path length of the current from the detection electrode toward the lead-out wiring.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A capacitive sensor comprising:
a base material provided with a pattern of a light-transmissive conductive film, wherein
the light-transmissive conductive film has a structure in which metal nanowires are dispersed in a binder; and
the pattern includes:
a detection pattern of a plurality of detection electrodes arranged with intervals; and
a plurality of lead-out wirings linearly extending in a first direction from corresponding ones of the plurality of the detection electrodes, wherein
at least one of the detection electrodes of the detection pattern includes a current path-setting section for elongating a linear path length of a current from the detection electrode toward the lead-out wiring;
the current path-setting section includes a slit pattern disposed to obstruct the linear path length of the current;
the current path-setting section includes a plurality of slit patterns having a length of a half or more of the length of the detection electrode and restricting the current path;
the plurality of the slit patterns are disposed parallel to each other;
at least a part of the plurality of the slit patterns inward extends from the end of the detection electrode; and
adjacent ones of the slit patterns restrict the current path at positions different from each other;
the current path-setting section includes a wiring path that allows the path of current flowing from the detection electrode toward the lead-out wiring to meander;
at least one of the detection electrodes including the current path-setting section and the lead-out wiring extending therefrom have a structure in which the metal nanowires are dispersed in a binder and are formed in a detection region;
the plurality of the detection electrodes are arranged in the first direction;
a plurality of pair of one of the detection electrodes and one of the lead-out wirings extending from corresponding one of the detection electrodes are formed so as to be separated from each other;
the plurality of the lead-out wirings in the detection region include an equal-interval region where the lead-out wirings are arrayed with a constant first pitch in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
the plurality of the slit patterns have widths equal to the intervals of the plurality of the lead-out wirings; and
the pitch of the plurality of the slit patterns is equal to the first pitch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein
the first direction is a direction toward an external terminal region from the detection pattern; and
the current path-setting section is at least disposed to the detection electrode closest to the external terminal region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The capacitive sensor according to claim 2, wherein the current path-setting section is disposed to each of the plurality of the detection electrodes.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The capacitive sensor according to claim 3, wherein the metal nanowires include silver nanowires.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The capacitive sensor according to claim 2, wherein the metal nanowires include silver nanowires.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein the current path-setting section is disposed to each of the plurality of the detection electrodes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The capacitive sensor according to claim 6, wherein the metal nanowires include silver nanowires.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The capacitive sensor according to claim 1, wherein the metal nanowires include silver nanowires.

### Claim 9

A capacitive sensor comprising:
a base material provided with a pattern of a light-transmissive conductive film, wherein
the light-transmissive conductive film contains metal nanowires; and
the pattern includes:
a detection pattern of a plurality of detection electrodes arranged with intervals; and
a plurality of lead-out wirings linearly extending in a first direction from corresponding ones of the plurality of the detection electrodes, wherein
at least one of the detection electrodes of the detection pattern includes a current path-setting section for elongating a linear path length of a current from the detection electrode toward the lead-out wiring;
the current path-setting section includes a slit pattern disposed for obstructing the linear path length of the current; and
the current path-setting section includes a plurality of slit patterns having a length of a half or more of the length of the detection electrode and restricting the current path;
the plurality of the slit patterns are disposed parallel to each other;
at least a part of the plurality of the slit patterns inward extends from the end of the detection electrode;
adjacent ones of the slit patterns restrict the current path at positions different from each other;
the current path-setting section includes a wiring path that allows the path of current flowing from the detection electrode toward the lead-out wiring to meander;
the plurality of the detection electrodes are arranged in the first direction;
a plurality of pair of one of the detection electrodes and one of the lead-out wirings extending from corresponding one of the detection electrodes are formed so as to be separated from each other,
the plurality of the lead-out wirings in the detection region include an equal-interval region where the lead-out wirings are arrayed with a constant first pitch in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
the plurality of the slit patterns have widths equal to the intervals of the plurality of the lead-out wirings; and
the pitch of the plurality of the slit patterns is equal to the first pitch.