Decoration Touch Panel with Full Flat Operation Area developed and marketed

We are pleased to announce the development of the Decoration Touch Panel, a new resistance pressure-sensitive touch panel with a fully flat operation area provided by a decoration sheet placed on the touch area. Marketing will start this spring.

Recently, intuitive user interfaces utilizing touch operation are becoming popular for mobile devices, such as cellular phones, and thinner design and larger display have become the steady trend in such devices.

The resistance pressure-sensitive type and capacitive type touch panels are principally used for mobile devices. Although the resistance pressure-sensitive type is more widely used due to its relatively low cost and its characteristic of enabling low current consumption, the pressure-sensitive type requires a bezel to cover the wires located in the periphery of the touch area (frame), and a step is created between the bezel and the touch area. Such a step makes application of the resistance pressure-sensitive touch panel in the thinner devices difficult.

To resolve such a problem, we developed the Decoration Touch Panel, which can be incorporated into the device without using a bezel.

A cosmetic sheet with a decorative pattern printed is placed over the touch area. This cosmetic sheet also functions as a bezel, and the full flat design creates the impression of a thinner design. It also provides the impression of an enlarged screen due to the absence of the bezel.

Two types of resistance pressure-sensing pads: (1) film/glass structure and (2) film/film structure plus reinforcing sheet are available.

Depending on the application and purpose of the device, selection can be made from these two types. For example, the film/glass structure type is for applications requiring an impressive appearance and thinner design, and the film/film structure with the reinforcing sheet type is for applications requiring breakage resistance and light weight.

We intend to develop larger size panels and enhance environmental resistance considering applications for automobiles (car navigation, console panel, etc.) and FA equipment.