Generic patterned conductor for customizable electronic devices

• US 20060246379A1
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Robrecht, Michael J., Jambor, George F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,745,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/311
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0289 having a matrix lay-out, i.e. having selectively interconnectable sets of X-conductors and Y-conductors in different planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0554 Metal used as mask for etching vias, e.g. by laser ablation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1545 Continuous processing, i.e. involving rolls moving a band-like or solid carrier along a continuous production path
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4611 by laminating two or more circuit boards H05K3/4652 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4635 laminating flexible circuit boards using additional insulating adhesive materials between the boards

Abstract

A method of making a multilayered product having a repeating conductive pattern that includes determining a repeating pattern configuration such as a grid of conductive traces for use in a range of active element configurations, and forming a continuous web of multilayered product having at least one layer of conductive material configured according to the determined repeating pattern configuration. The continuous web is suitable for use in a range of active element configurations. The method may also include altering the continuous web to form a customized active element. Forming the continuous web may include providing a first roll of continuous webbing stock, the first roll having at least a portion of the repeating pattern formed thereon, providing a second roll of continuous webbing stock, the second roll having at least a portion of the repeating conductive pattern formed thereon, and laminating the first and second rolls of continuous webbing stock together.

Claims

1. A method of making a multilayered product having a repeating conductive pattern, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a repeating pattern configuration for use in a range of active element configurations; and

forming a continuous web of multilayered product having at least one layer of patterned conductive material, the layer configured to form the repeating conductive pattern when assembled such that any of the range of active element configurations can be formed from the continuous web.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of altering the continuous web to form a customized active element.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein altering the continuous web includes cutting the continuous web to form an active element having a predetermined size.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein altering the continuous web includes cutting at least one via through at least one layer of the web to expose a portion of the conductive material.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein forming the continuous web includes forming a laminate layer thereon, the laminate layer including a plurality of vias configured to expose portions of the conductive material.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein forming the continuous web includes forming a laminate layer thereon, and altering the continuous web includes cutting at least one via through laminate layer to expose a portion of the conductive material, the method further comprising aligning the vias of the at least one layer of the web and the laminate layer in registration to predetermined locations on the repeating conductive pattern.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the repeating pattern includes a grid of conductive traces.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the continuous web includes:

providing a first roll of continuous webbing stock, the first roll having a first portion of the repeating conductive pattern formed thereon;

providing a second roll of continuous webbing stock, the second roll having a second portion of the repeating conductive pattern formed thereon; and

laminating the first and second rolls of continuous webbing stock together.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second portions of the repeating conductive pattern are registered relative to each other during the step of forming the continuous web.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the portion of repeating pattern of the first roll includes a plurality of parallel conductive traces that extend along a length of the first roll of webbing stock, and the portion of repeating pattern of the second roll includes a plurality of parallel conductive traces that extend laterally across a width of the second roll of webbing stock.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the active element is a touch sensitive device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the repeating conductive pattern extends continuously substantially over the continuous web of multilayered product

13. A continuous multilayered product having a repeating conductive pattern, the multilayered product comprising:

a first layer of continuous webbing having a least a first portion of the repeating conductive pattern formed thereon; and

a second layer of continuous webbing having a least a second portion of the repeating conductive pattern formed thereon;

wherein the repeating conductive pattern is configured so that the multilayered product is capable of being customized for use in any of a plurality of end products that utilize the repeating conductive pattern as active elements.

14. The multilayered product of claim 13, wherein customizing the multilayered product includes cutting the multilayered product to a predetermined size.

15. The multilayered product of claim 13, wherein the repeating conductive pattern includes a grid of conductive traces, a portion of the grid in the form of a plurality of spaced apart traces that extend along a length of the multilayered product being formed on the one of the layers of continuous webbing, and a portion of the grid in the form of a plurality of spaced apart traces that extend across a width of the multilayered product being formed on the another of the layers of continuous webbing.

16. The multilayered product of claim 13, wherein the first and second layers of continuous webbing are laminated together and the portions of repeating conductive pattern formed on each of the first and second layers of continuous webbing are electrically insulated from each other.

17. The multilayered product of claim 13, wherein the first or second portion of the repeating conductive pattern is encapsulated between the first and second layers of continuous webbing.

18. The multilayered product of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first and second layers of continuous webbing includes a via formed therein.

19. The multilayered product of claim 13, wherein the end product is a touch sensitive device.

20. A method of making a plurality of differently configured electronic elements, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a repeating conductive pattern common to the plurality of electronic elements;

forming a continuous web of multilayered product having at least two separate layers of conductive material that together compose the repeating conductive pattern;

providing design parameters for the different electronic element configurations; and

modifying the multilayered product according to the design parameters to include features of the plurality of electronic elements while forming the continuous web of multilayered product.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the repeating conductive pattern includes a grid of conductive traces, and the step of forming the continuous web of multilayered product includes forming portions of the grid as the separate layers of conductive material.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein forming the continuous web of multilayered product includes:

providing a first roll of continuous webbing stock, the first roll having a first portion of the repeating conductive pattern formed thereon;

providing a second roll of continuous webbing stock, the second roll having a second portion of the repeating conductive pattern formed thereon; and

laminating the first and second rolls of continuous webbing stock together.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein modifying the multilayered product includes cutting the multilayered product to a predetermined size.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the element elements is a touch sensitive device.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing a laminate layer and laminating the laminate layer to the first or second roll of continuous webbing stock.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising modifying the multilayered product after forming the continuous web to include additional features of the plurality of electronic elements.