# US 2021/0278950 A1 · Cover member and display apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0278950 A1 - Document ID: US20210278950A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/317,163 - Filed: 2021-05-11 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-11 - Assignees: Japan Display Inc. - Applicants: Japan Display Inc. - Inventors: Hayato Kurasawa; Shoji Hinata; Toshinori Uehara; Hiroshi Mizuhashi; Yuji Suzuki; Yasuhiro Kanaya - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210278950A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/04166: {Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving (Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184)} - G06F 3/0412: {Digitisers structurally integrated in a display} - 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} - G06V 40/1306: {non-optical, e.g. ultrasonic or capacitive sensing} - G06V 40/1329: {Protecting the fingerprint sensor against damage caused by the finger} - G06F 2203/0338: Fingerprint track pad, i.e. fingerprint sensor used as pointing device tracking the fingertip image - G06F 2203/04107: Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds - G06F 2203/04108: Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract Included are a first cover base including an alkali glass layer, a first alkali-free glass layer provided on one face of the alkali glass layer, and a second alkali-free glass layer provided on another face of the alkali glass layer and a sensor that is provided on the first alkali-free glass layer of the first cover base and includes a plurality of first electrodes configured to detect the unevenness of a surface of an object to be detected that comes into contact with or close to the first cover base and a switching element. At least the first electrodes are formed above the first alkali-free glass layer and in a transmissive area that passes an image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cover member comprising: a first cover base; a sensor that is provided on the first cover base and comprises a plurality of first electrodes, the first electrodes being configured to detect unevenness of a surface of an object to be detected that comes into contact with or close to the first cover base; a flexible board, a first side of the flexible board being located on the sensor; and a second cover base facing the first cover base, wherein the first side of the flexible board is sandwiched by the sensor and the second cover base. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cover member according to claim 1, further comprising, an adhesive layer provided between the first side of the flexible board and the second cover base. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cover member according to claim 1, further comprising, a decoration layer that is provided on a surrounding area of the second cover base, wherein the decoration layer covers the first side of the flexible board. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cover member according to claim 3, wherein the decoration layer defines a transmissive area and a frame area that is outside the transmissive area, and the decoration layer overlaps a part of the first electrodes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The cover member according to claim 4, wherein the sensor overlaps a part of the transmissive area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The cover member according to claim 4, wherein the adhesive layer is provided to the transmissive area, and a thickness of the adhesive layer facing the first cover base via the sensor overlapping being thinner than a thickness of the adhesive layer facing the first cover base directly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The cover member according to claim 4, wherein the sensor overlaps all of the transmissive area. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cover member according to claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises a thin film transistor layer provided on the first cover base, the plurality of the first electrodes are provided on the thin film transistor layer, and the first side of the flexible board is fixed on the thin film transistor layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The cover member according to claim 8, wherein the thin film transistor layer includes a plurality of switching elements connected with the plurality of the first electrodes respectively, and the first electrodes are supplied with a drive signal via the switching elements and configured to output a detection signal responsive to a capacitance change between the first electrodes and the object to be detected. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The cover member according to claim 9, wherein the sensor further comprises gate lines configured to supply a scan signal that scans the plurality of the switching elements, and signal lines configured to supply a signal to the plurality of the switching elements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The cover member according to claim 10, wherein the sensor further comprises a gate driver connected to the gate lines, and a first electrode driver connected to the signal lines, and at least one of the gate driver and the first electrode driver is located at a position between the plurality of the first electrodes and the flexible board. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The cover member according to claim 10, wherein the first cover base comprises: an alkali glass layer; a first alkali-free glass layer provided on one face of the alkali glass layer; and a second alkali-free glass layer that is provided on another face of the alkali glass layer, and the gate lines are directly formed on the first alkali-free glass layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The cover member according to claim 12, wherein the first alkali-free glass layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially the same as a coefficient of thermal expansion of the second alkali-free glass layer and has a coefficient of thermal expansion smaller than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the alkali glass layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The cover member according to claim 10, wherein the first cover base comprises: an alkali glass layer; a first alkali-free glass layer provided on one face of the alkali glass layer; and a second alkali-free glass layer that is provided on another face of the alkali glass layer, and the gate lines are formed on the first alkali-free glass layer via a passivation film. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The cover member according to claim 14, wherein the first alkali-free glass layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially the same as a coefficient of thermal expansion of the second alkali-free glass layer and has a coefficient of thermal expansion smaller than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the alkali glass layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The cover member according to claim 1, wherein the sensor has a plurality of second electrodes arranged in a matrix manner and facing the first electrodes, and the first electrodes are provided at positions further away from the first cover base than the second electrodes in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the first cover base. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The cover member according to claim 16, wherein the surface of the object is detected based on a detection signal output based on a capacitance change of the second electrodes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The cover member according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the second electrodes is supplied with a guard signal for lessening a change in capacitance between the second electrode and the first electrodes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The cover member according to claim 1, wherein the first electrodes comprise first detection electrodes to which detection lines are coupled and first drive electrodes to which drive signal lines are coupled, the sensor comprises a drive circuit that comprises a switching element configured to select the drive signal lines and configured to supply a drive signal to the first drive electrodes via the drive signal lines, and the first detection electrodes are configured to output a detection signal based on a capacitance change between the first detection electrodes and the first drive electrodes. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The cover member according to claim 1, wherein the second cover base is formed of glass thinner than the first cover base. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The cover member according to claim 1, wherein the second cover base is a resin film. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The cover member according to claim 1, wherein the second cover base is smaller than the first cover base in a plan view. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The cover member according to claim 22, wherein a side surface of the second cover base is located above a front surface of the first cover base. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The cover member according to claim 23, wherein a part of flexible board next to a first edge is facing the front surface of the first cover base.