Etch resist using printer technology

• US 20030079624A1
• Filed: 10/29/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: DeHaven, Maxwell S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,676,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 101/35
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/407 for marking on special material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0537 Transfer of pre-fabricated insulating pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/073 Displacement plating, substitution plating or immersion plating, e.g. for finish plating
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0786 Using an aqueous solution, e.g. for cleaning or during drilling of holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0079 characterised by the method of application or removal of the mask H05K3/0091 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/062 consisting of metals or alloys or metallic inorganic compounds H05K3/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/108 by semi-additive methods; masks therefor characterised by metallic etch mask H05K3/062; electroplating methods or apparatus H05K3/241

Abstract

The present invention provides a printer and an inexpensive method for producing a printed circuit board using a printer configured to facilitate printing at least directly on a copper-clad substrate. The method includes the steps of feeding a copper-clad substrate into the printer, printing an inverse circuit image on the copper-clad substrate, allowing the inverse circuit image to dry, metalizing the copper-clad substrate to adhere a resist mask to exposed, uninked copper to form a metalized circuit image, and etching the copper-clad substrate that has been metalized to remove copper that forms the inverse circuit image.

Claims

1. An inexpensive method for producing a printed circuit board using a printer configured to facilitate printing at least directly on a copper-clad substrate, comprising the steps of:

feeding a copper-clad substrate into the printer;

printing an inverse circuit image on the copper-clad substrate;

allowing the inverse circuit image to dry;

immersing the copper-clad substrate in a tinning solution to adhere a resist mask to exposed, uninked copper to form a tinned circuit image; and

etching the copper-clad substrate to remove copper forming the inverse circuit image.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the printer utilizes water-insoluble ink.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the printer utilizes India ink.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein an input path for the printer is adjustable to include at least two settings:

a first setting to feed paper through a printing process and a second setting to accommodate a copper-clad substrate having a predetermined size.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the second setting for the input path for the printer to accommodate a copper-clad substrate is further adjustable to accommodate a plurality of sizes of copper-clad substrates.

6. An inexpensive method for producing a printed circuit board using a printer configured to facilitate printing at least directly on a copper-clad substrate, comprising the steps of:

feeding a copper-clad substrate into the printer;

printing an inverse circuit image on the copper-clad substrate;

allowing the inverse circuit image to dry;

metalizing the copper-clad substrate to adhere a resist mask to exposed, uninked copper to form a metalized circuit image; and

etching the copper-clad substrate that has been metalized to remove copper that forms the inverse circuit image.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the printer utilizes water-insoluble ink.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the printer utilizes India ink.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein an input path for the printer is adjustable to include at least two settings:

a first setting to feed paper through a printing process and a second setting to accommodate a copper-clad substrate having a predetermined size.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least two settings for the input path for the printer include settings to accommodate a plurality of sizes of copper-clad substrates.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of metalizing the copper-clad substrate to adhere a resist mask to exposed, uninked copper includes coating the exposed, uninked copper with at least one of:

manganese, chromium, aluminum, iron, cobalt, nickel, tin, zinc, cadmium, palladium, and lead.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of metalizing the copper-clad substrate to adhere a resist mask to exposed, uninked copper includes coating the exposed, uninked copper with an alloy of at least one of:

manganese, chromium, aluminum, iron, cobalt, tin, zinc, nickel, cadmium, palladium, and lead.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of metalizing the copper-clad substrate to adhere a resist mask to exposed, uninked copper includes coating the exposed, uninked copper by one of:

soldering, electro-plating and electroless plating.

14. A printer configured to print at least directly on a copper-clad substrate to facilitate inexpensively producing a printed circuit board, comprising:

an adjustable feeding mechanism for feeding at least a copper-clad substrate into the printer; and

a printing mechanism, proximate to the adjustable feeding mechanism, arranged to provide for printing an inverse circuit image on the copper-clad substrate,

wherein the inverse circuit image is allowed to dry the copper-clad substrate is immersed in a tinning solution to adhere a resist mask to exposed, uninked copper to form a tinned circuit image, and the copper-clad substrate is etched to remove copper that forms the inverse circuit image.

15. The printer of claim 14 wherein the printer utilizes water-insoluble ink.

16. The printer of claim 14 wherein the printer utilizes India ink.

17. The printer of claim 14 wherein the adjustable feeding mechanism includes at least two settings:

a first setting to feed paper through a printing process and a second setting to accommodate a copper-clad substrate having a predetermined size.

18. The printer of claim 17 wherein the at least two settings include a plurality of settings to accommodate a plurality of sizes of copper-clad substrates.

19. A printer configured to print at least directly on a copper-clad substrate to facilitate inexpensively producing a printed circuit board, comprising:

a flat-input feeder for feeding at least a copper-clad substrate into the printer; and

a printing mechanism, proximate to the flat-input feeder and arranged to print an inverse circuit image on the copper-clad substrate that is fed into the printer,

wherein the inverse circuit image is allowed to dry, the copper-clad substrate is metalized to adhere a resist mask to exposed, uninked copper to form a metalized circuit image, and the copper-clad substrate that has been metalized is etched to remove copper that forms the inverse circuit image.

20. The printer of claim 19 wherein the printer utilizes water-insoluble ink.

21. The printer of claim 19 wherein the printer utilizes India ink.

22. The printer of claim 19 wherein the flat-input feeder is adjustable to include at least two settings:

a first setting to feed paper through a printing process and a second setting to accommodate a copper-clad substrate having a predetermined size.

23. The printer of claim 22 wherein the at least two settings include a plurality of settings that accommodate a plurality of sizes of copper-clad substrates.

24. The printer of claim 19 wherein the exposed, uninked copper is metalized to adhere a resist mask using at least one of:

manganese, chromium, aluminum, iron, cobalt, nickel, tin, zinc, cadmium, palladium, and lead.

25. The printer of claim 19 wherein the exposed, uninked copper is metalized to adhere a resist mask using an alloy of at least one of:

manganese, chromium, aluminum, iron, cobalt, tin, zinc, nickel, cadmium, palladium, and lead.

26. The printer of claim 19 wherein the exposed, uninked copper is metalized to adhere a resist mask using at least one of:

soldering, electro-plating and electroless plating.