METHOD FOR THE CONTINUOUS LAYING OF A CONDUCTOR ON A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD AND DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD

• US 20090288762A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jumatech GmbH
• Original Assignee: Jumatech GmbH
• Inventors: Wolfel, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 8,076,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/247
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/06 Wiring by machine
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10287 Metal wires as connectors or conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/103 by bonding or embedding conductive wires or strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for welding a conductor to a conductive film, which is preferably intended for connection to a circuit board support in order to produce a printed circuit board, the depth or diameter of the conductor being preferably larger than the thickness of the conductive film. According to said method, the conductive film is in contact with a thermal isolation plate, at least during the welding process, the thermal conductivity of said plate being lower than that of the conductive film.

Claims

1-34. -34. (canceled)

35. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film, which is preferably intended for connection to a circuit board support in order to produce a printed circuit board, the depth or diameter of the conductor being preferably larger than the thickness of the conductive film, wherein the conductive film is in contact with a thermal isolation plate, at least during the welding process, the thermal conductivity of said plate being lower than that of the conductive film.

36. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the thermal conductivity of the thermal isolation plate is, at least in a region lying around the welding area, smaller than that of the conductive film by at least a factor of 2, preferably by at least a factor of 5.

37. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the thermal isolation plate has a melting temperature and thermal stability that is greater than that of the conductive film and/or the temperature load during the welding process.

38. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the thermal isolation plate can have a coating with higher thermal stability and/or lower thermal conductivity than does the base material, at least in a contact area to the conductive film lying around the welding area, preferably in the entire contact area of the conductive film.

39. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the thermal isolation plate has an inert surface, preferably in the form of an inert coating, at least in a contact area to the conductive film lying around the welding area, preferably in the entire contact area of the conductive film.

40. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the thermal isolation plate is electrically conductive.

41. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the thickness of the thermal isolation plate is preferably greater than that of the conductive film by at least a factor of 5 and by no more than a factor of 300.

42. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the thermal isolation plate is arranged between the conductive film and a power distribution device preferably made of a Cu block.

43. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the depth or diameter of the conductor that is to be welded is preferably larger than the thickness of the conductive film by a factor of from 2 to 10.

44. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein a further metallic component that differs from the wire and/or board is introduced at the welding point.

45. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the wire has at least one additional metallic component that differs from the wire and/or board, preferably in the form of a metallic coating, particularly one of Ag or Sn.

46. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the welding is carried out by means of a contact welding method.

47. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the counter-electrode is arranged opposite the welding electrode with respect to the plane of the board.

48. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein two welding-current-carrying electrodes are arranged between the conductive film and the thermal isolation plate on the same side with respect to the plane of the contact surface.

49. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein two welding electrodes can be positioned with respect to the conductor.

50. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the counter-electrode is formed as a surface electrode and is arranged on the same side with respect to the plane of the thermal isolation plate of the welding electrode.

51. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the insulation on insulated conductors can be stripped off by means of thermal melting and/or by means of mechanical removal or stripping or pinching, preferably by means of thermal melting by means of a laser or by means of burning by means of the welding electrodes.

52. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the melting of the insulation is carried out by an electrode pair that can be positioned relative to the conductor, preferably with the control and monitoring of process parameters.

53. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the polarity direction of the electrode pair that can be positioned relative to the conductor is periodically changed during the stripping.

54. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein an electrode pair that can be positioned relative to the conductor has the same polarity and is preferably connected in parallel for continuous welding.

55. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the conductor is tensed and held down by a pressing device at least during the welding process.

56. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the conductor is glued down in spots, preferably at spots at which the conductor-laying direction is changed.

57. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein the adhesive is applied to the gluing spots preferably by means of being dropped on, jetted on or sprayed on.

58. Method for welding a conductor to a conductive film according to claim 35, wherein it is possible to activate the adhesive by means of applying electromagnetic energy, preferably by means of UV radiation, and/or it is possible to cross-link the adhesive and/or it is possible to accelerate the setting.

59. Method for the continuous laying of an insulated conductor between electrical contact points arranged on a conductive film by means of a numerically controlled device, containing at least the following steps:

a) Stripping the insulation off of the conductor at a connection section intended for connection to a beginning connection point;

b) Production of relative movement between the conductive film and at least the connecting section of the conductor, in order to position the connecting section of the conductor at the beginning connection point on the conductive film;

c) Integral connection of the connecting section of the conductor to the beginning connection point;

d) Production of a relative movement between the conductor and the conductive film while feeding a conductor length that is to be laid, in order to position a further connection section of the conductor at a further connection point on the conductive film;

e) Stripping the insulation off of the connecting section of the conductor positioned at the further connection point;

f) Integral connection of the connecting section of the conductor to the further connection point;

g) Continuation with steps d) to f) until such a time as the end connection point has been reached;

h) Separation of the laid length of conductor, whereby

i) the order of the steps a) and b) and/or the order of the steps d) and e) can be exchanged.

60. Device for carrying out a method for welding a conductor to a conductive film, the device including at least the following devices that are numerically controlled by an electronic control device:

a) A device for producing relative movement between a conductive film and a conductor storage unit,

b) A device for integral connection of the conductor to the electrical connection points on the conductive film,

c) As well as a thermal isolation plate for supporting the film, wherein the thermal conductivity of the thermal isolation plate is less than that of the copper of the conductive film,

wherein the method is preferably intended for connection to a circuit board support in order to produce a printed circuit board, the depth or diameter of the conductor being preferably larger than the thickness of the conductive film, wherein the conductive film is in contact with a thermal isolation plate, at least during the welding process, the thermal conductivity of said plate being lower than that of the conductive film.

61. Device according to claim 60, wherein the device has a device for stripping the insulation off of an insulated conductor.

62. Device according to claim 60, wherein the device has a device for separating the conductor.

63. Device according to claim 60, wherein the device for producing relative movement between the conductive film and the conductor storage unit includes a cross table that can be moved in at least two horizontal axes (X, Y) and that tenses the conductive film, a supporting slide that can be driven relative to the cross table along a vertical axis (Z), the device for stripping the insulation off of the conductor, the device for integral connection of the conductor to the electrical connection points on the conductive film and the device for separating the conductor and a pivot arm that bears the conductor storage unit and that can be driven in a pivoting manner with respect to the slide by the control unit.

64. Device according to claim 60, wherein the conductor storage unit is formed by a conductor storage roll, which can be pivoted at right angles to the momentary direction in which the conductor is being laid by means of the pivot arm.

65. Device according to claim 60, wherein it furthermore includes a device that can be driven by the control device, that is for producing a wire feed and that is held on the pivot arm.

66. Device according to claim 60, wherein a gluing device that can be driven by the control unit is provided for gluing the conductor to the conductive film at places at which the conductor undergoes a change in direction.

67. Device according to claim 60, wherein the device has a device for tensing and/or holding down the conductor.

68. Device for carrying out a method for the continuous laying of an insulated conductor, the device including at least the following devices that are numerically controlled by an electronic control device:

a) A device for producing relative movement between a conductive film and a conductor storage unit,

b) A device for integral connection of the conductor to the electrical connection points on the conductive film,

c) As well as a thermal isolation plate for supporting the film, wherein the thermal conductivity of the thermal isolation plate is less than that of the copper of the conductive film,

wherein the method includes;

(a) Stripping the insulation off of the conductor at a connection section intended for connection to a beginning connection point;

b) Production of relative movement between the conductive film and at least the connecting section of the conductor, in order to position the connecting section of the conductor at the beginning connection point on the conductive film;

c) Integral connection of the connecting section of the conductor to the beginning connection point;

d) Production of a relative movement between the conductor and the conductive film while feeding a conductor length that is to be laid, in order to position a further connection section of the conductor at a further connection point on the conductive film;

e) Stripping the insulation off of the connecting section of the conductor positioned at the further connection point;

f) Integral connection of the connecting section of the conductor to the further connection point;

g) Continuation with steps d) to f) until such a time as the end connection point has been reached;

h) Separation of the laid length of conductor, whereby

i) the order of the steps a) and b) and/or the order of the steps d) and e) can be exchanged.