Method for manufacturing stretchable circuit board and stretchable circuit board

• US 10,194,527 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2017
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Mektron Limited (NOK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippon Mektron Limited (NOK Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwase, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Norris, Jeremy C
• Application Number:
  US15/685,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20180077794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0283 Stretchable printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/361 Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits

Abstract

[Problem] Provided is a method for manufacturing a stretchable circuit board, which can facilitate positioning of an external terminal and a stretchable wiring, and increase manufacturing yield of a stretchable circuit board.

[Solving Mean] A stretchable circuit board is manufactured through: a step in which an external terminal 31 is formed on a main surface 33b located on one side of a film base 33; a step in which a stretchable wiring portion 55 is formed on a main surface 53a located on one side of a stretchable base 53; and a step in which the stretchable wiring portion 55 is positioned with the external terminal 31, and pressure and heat are applied to the film base 33 and the stretchable wiring portion 55 to join them, whereby the external terminal 31 and the stretchable wiring portion 55 are connected with each other.

Claims

1. A stretchable circuit board comprising:

a first sheet member including a first main surface having a terminal portion formed thereon;

a second sheet member having a main surface and stretchability higher than that of the first sheet member, and joined to the first sheet member;

the main surface of the second sheet member opposed to the main surface of the first sheet member includes a stretchable wiring portion which is a printed pattern including a resin binder and a conductive material, wherein the stretchable wiring portion directly contacts the terminal portion between the first sheet member and the second sheet member, and

wherein the stretchable wiring portion is a series of layers from the terminal portion to an area on the second sheet member that does not overlap with the first sheet member, and the stretchable wiring portion has a constant width when viewed from above.

2. A method for manufacturing a stretchable circuit board, comprising:

forming a terminal portion on a main surface located on one side of a first sheet member;

forming a stretchable wiring portion including a resin binder and a conductive material on a main surface located on one side of a second sheet member having stretchability higher than that of the first sheet member by printing; and

mechanically and electrically connecting the terminal portion and the stretchable wiring portion by positioning the terminal portion and the stretchable wiring portion, and

applying pressure and heat to the first sheet member and the second sheet member to join the main surface of the first sheet member to the main surface of the second sheet member such that the stretchable wiring portion is thermally fused to directly contact the terminal portion between the first sheet member and the second sheet member.

3. The method for manufacturing a stretchable circuit board according to claim 2, wherein

a thermal shrinkage rate of the first sheet member differs from that of the second sheet member.

4. The method for manufacturing a stretchable circuit board according to claim 2, wherein

the stretchable wiring portion is connected with a bio-electrode through which an electrical signal is inputted from a living body.