# US 2019/0317641 A1 · Capacitance type touch panel with built-in pressure sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0317641 A1 - Document ID: US20190317641A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/310,788 - Filed: 2017-08-30 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-30 - Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: TAKENORI MARUYAMA; YASUHIRO SUGITA; KAZUTOSHI KIDA; SHINJI YAMAGISHI; KENSHI TADA; JEAN MUGIRANEZA; HIDETSUGU KAWAMORI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190317641A1 ## CPC - G01L 1/22: using resistance strain gauges - G01D 5/24: by varying capacitance - G01L 1/205: {using distributed sensing elements} - G01L 1/2262: {involving simple electrical bridges} - G01L 1/2293: {of the semi-conductor type} - G06F 3/0445: {using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer} - G06F 3/0446: {using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes} - G06F 2203/04105: Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position - 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 - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract The present invention simultaneously detects a location of an electric conductor and pressure that is applied by the electric conductor. A touch panel (1) includes a plurality of sensing electrodes (2) that extend in a first direction for detecting a touch location based on an electrostatic capacitance; and pressure detecting electrodes (4) each of which extends in the first direction and is provided between adjacent two of the plurality of sensing electrodes (2). Each of the pressure detecting electrodes (4) has a width smaller than that of each of the sensing electrodes (2) and has resistance that changes in response to applied pressure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A capacitance type touch panel that has a built-in pressure sensor, said capacitance type touch panel comprising: a plurality of touch detecting electrodes that extend in a first direction for detecting a touch location based on an electrostatic capacitance; and pressure detecting electrodes each of which extends in the first direction and is provided between adjacent two of the plurality of touch detecting electrodes, each of the pressure detecting electrodes having a width smaller than that of each of the plurality of touch detecting electrodes and having resistance that changes in response to applied pressure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The capacitance type touch panel as set forth in claim 1, wherein: the plurality of touch detecting electrodes are respectively sensing electrodes; the sensing electrodes and the pressure detecting electrodes are provided in a sensing layer; and a plurality of driving electrodes that extend in a second direction are provided in a driving layer, the second direction intersecting with the first direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The capacitance type touch panel as set forth in claim 1, wherein: a dummy electrode which extends in the first direction is provided between each of the pressure detecting electrodes and each of the plurality of touch detecting electrodes; and the dummy electrode, the pressure detecting electrodes, and the plurality of touch detecting electrodes are made of the same material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The capacitance type touch panel as set forth in claim 1, wherein: each of the pressure detecting electrodes has a folded pattern section that extends alternately in the first direction and a third direction in order to increase a rate of change in resistance that changes in response to the applied pressure, the third direction being opposite to the first direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The capacitance type touch panel as set forth in claim 3, wherein: each of the pressure detecting electrodes has a folded pattern section that extends alternately in the first direction and a third direction in order to increase a rate of change in resistance that changes in response to the applied pressure, the third direction being opposite to the first direction; and a part of the folded pattern section is formed by changing a part of the dummy electrode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The capacitance type touch panel as set forth in claim 3, further comprising: a Wheatstone bridge circuit having a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, and a fourth resistor, the first resistor being connected with an electrode that is provided at a location on which an influence by the applied pressure is smaller, and the second resistor being connected to a pressure detecting electrode that is provided at a location on which an influence by the applied pressure is larger. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The capacitance type touch panel as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said capacitance type touch panel is provided in a display panel; the display panel includes a TFT substrate, a CF substrate, and a liquid crystal layer which is provided between the TFT substrate and the CF substrate; the driving layer is provided on the CF substrate on a side opposite to the liquid crystal layer; and the sensing layer is provided on the driving layer on a side opposite to the liquid crystal layer.