Process for use in rapidly producing printed circuit boards using a computer controlled plotter
First Claim
1. A process for use in the production of a printed circuit board utilizing a computer and a computer controlled plotter, comprising:
- retaining a conductive sheet-clad board in the plotter while performing the following activities on the conductive sheet,applying resist by capillary effect directly to the conductive sheet from a marking device manipulated by the plotter, andcreating a predetermined printed circuit pattern of resist on the conductive sheet by controlling the plotter to move the marking device relative to a stationary reference and relative to the board.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A conductor clad board from which the printed circuit board is produced is operatively retained for manipulation in a plotter controlled by a computer. Etchant-resist material is laid down in a printed circuit conductor pattern on at least one conductive sheet of the board by a marking instrument operatively manipulated by the plotter. The computer controls the application of the resist material in accordance with printed circuit board computer aided design information in the computer memory. Both conductive sheets of the board can be marked with resist after establishing the orientation of the board so the printed circuit patterns on opposite sides of the board occupy a predetermined aligned relationship. After etching, the board is again retained in the plotter and holes are drilled through the board by using drill apparatus operatively adapted for use and manipulation by the plotter.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A process for use in the production of a printed circuit board utilizing a computer and a computer controlled plotter, comprising:
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retaining a conductive sheet-clad board in the plotter while performing the following activities on the conductive sheet, applying resist by capillary effect directly to the conductive sheet from a marking device manipulated by the plotter, and creating a predetermined printed circuit pattern of resist on the conductive sheet by controlling the plotter to move the marking device relative to a stationary reference and relative to the board. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A process for use in the production of a printed circuit board utilizing a computer and a plotter controlled by the computer, the computer having a memory containing information defining a predetermined printed circuit pattern, the computer controlling the plotter to create the predetermined printed circuit pattern, and the plotter including a carrier mechanism which retains a pen, comprising:
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retaining a conductive sheet-clad board in the plotter while performing the following activities on the board, applying resist directly on the conductive sheet from at least two marking devices manipulated by the plotter, each marking device comprising a pen having a marking point which applies resist to the conductive sheet in a line of predetermined width, the width of the resist line applied by one pen being different than the width of the resist line applied by the other pen, holding the pen in the carrier mechanism, moving the carrier mechanism to apply resist from the pen onto the conductive sheet, applying resist in a line of one width with one pen held in the carrier mechanism, transferring the one pen from the carrier mechanism and thereafter transferring the other pen to the carrier mechanism, accomplishing both transferring steps automatically under the control of the computer, and applying resist in a line of another width with the other pen held in the carrier mechanism.
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10. A process for use in the production of a printed circuit board utilizing a computer and a plotter controlled by the computer, the computer having a memory containing information defining a predetermined printed circuit pattern, the computer controlling the plotter to create the predetermined circuit pattern, the plotter including a carrier mechanism which selectively holds an instrument useful in the process, one such instrument being a marking device and another such instrument being a hole drilling instrument, the process comprising:
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retaining a conductive sheet-clad board in the plotter while performing the following activities on the board, applying etchant resist directly to the conductive sheet from the marking device manipulated by the carrier mechanism of the plotter, creating the predetermined circuit pattern of resist on the conductive sheet by controlling the plotter to move the marking device and the board relative to one another, and drilling a hole through the board by use of the hole drilling instrument held in the carrier mechanism under the control of the computer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A process for use in the production of printed circuit boards utilizing a computer and a computer controlled plotter, comprising:
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retaining a printed circuit board having an undrilled predetermined printed circuit pattern of conductors formed thereon in the plotter for movement by the plotter, establishing the orientation of the predetermined printed circuit pattern of conductors in relation to the retention of the board by the plotter under the control of the computer, by holding a locating device in the plotter, by moving the locating device relative to at least three predetermined locating points on the board to position the locating device at a predetermined location with respect to each locating point, and by utilizing information defining each predetermined location of the three locating points established by positioning the locating device, holding a hole drilling device in the plotter, moving the hole drilling device relative to the printed circuit pattern while held by the plotter to position the hole drilling device to drill holes at predetermined hole locations, and drilling holes through the printed circuit pattern and the board at predetermined hole locations by using the hole drilling device held in the plotter under the control of the computer. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A process for use in the production of printed circuit boards utilizing a computer and a computer controlled plotter, the plotter including a carrier mechanism which retains an instrument useful in the process, one such instrument being a hole drilling device, comprising:
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retaining a printed circuit board having an undrilled predetermined printed circuit pattern of conductors formed thereon in the plotter for movement by the plotter, establishing the orientation of the predetermined printed circuit pattern of conductors in relation to the retention of the board by the plotter, holding the hole drilling device in the carrier mechanism, moving the hole drilling device held in the carrier mechanism under the control of the computer to position the hole drilling device to drill holes in the undrilled printed circuit pattern at predetermined hole locations, the predetermined location of each hole to be drilled being established by manipulating the carrier mechanism and the printed circuit board relative to one another under the control of the computer, the computer having a memory which includes information defining the predetermined printed circuit pattern and the location of each hole to be drilled relative to the printed circuit pattern, and drilling holes through the printed circuit pattern and the board at predetermined hole locations by using the hole drilling device held in the carrier mechanism under the control of the computer. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A process for use in the production of a printed circuit board utilizing a computer and a computer controlled plotter, comprising:
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establishing at least three locating points on a board from which the printed circuit board is to be produced, retaining the board in the plotter for manipulation, locating each of the three locating points by manipulating a locating device of the plotter and the board relative to one another until a reference axis of the locating device is located in a predetermined position with respect to each locating point, and establishing the orientation of the board retained in the plotter from information obtained from locating all three locating points. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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Specification