Apparatus for printing an electrical circuit component with print cells in liquid communication
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for directly printing an electrical circuit component onto a substrate, comprising:
- a printing station;
means for transporting the substrate to said printing station; and
means adapted for directly printing, at said printing station, an electrical circuit component onto the substrate using an electrically-conductive liquid, said means for printing having a print press with a plurality of cells, the print press cells being in liquid communication in both a printing direction and a direction transverse thereto so that the electrical circuit, as printed, is electrically conductive in the printing direction and in the transverse direction, each of said plurality of cells having a liquid communication channel uniform in depth and width in the printing direction and a different liquid communication channel uniform in depth and width in the transverse direction, the liquid communication channels of cells adjacent in the printing direction being substantially colinear and the liquid communication channels of cells adjacent in the transverse direction being substantially colinear.
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Abstract
Apparatus and process for directly printing an electrical circuit component onto a substrate includes structure and steps for providing a printing station, and for transporting the substrate to the printing station. Structure and steps are provided for printing, at the printing station, an electrical circuit component on the substrate using an electrically-conductive liquid. Preferably, the printed electrical circuit component is capable of performing its circuit function directly after printing, without the need for post-printing process steps such as etching, catalytic ink activation, electroless bath, etc.
82 Citations
24 Claims
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1. Apparatus for directly printing an electrical circuit component onto a substrate, comprising:
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a printing station; means for transporting the substrate to said printing station; and means adapted for directly printing, at said printing station, an electrical circuit component onto the substrate using an electrically-conductive liquid, said means for printing having a print press with a plurality of cells, the print press cells being in liquid communication in both a printing direction and a direction transverse thereto so that the electrical circuit, as printed, is electrically conductive in the printing direction and in the transverse direction, each of said plurality of cells having a liquid communication channel uniform in depth and width in the printing direction and a different liquid communication channel uniform in depth and width in the transverse direction, the liquid communication channels of cells adjacent in the printing direction being substantially colinear and the liquid communication channels of cells adjacent in the transverse direction being substantially colinear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for directly printing an electrical circuit component onto a substrate, comprising:
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a printing station; means for transporting the substrate to said printing station; means for directly printing, at said printing station, an electrical circuit component onto the substrate using an electrically-conductive liquid; means for printing an insulating layer over said electrical circuit component; means for printing a second electrical circuit component over top of said insulator layer; and means for punching through the second electrical circuit component and the insulator layer to electrically connect the second electrical circuit component and the electrical circuit component.
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16. Apparatus for directly printing an electrical circuit component onto a flexible or semi-rigid substrate, comprising:
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a rotogravure printing station including a print roller and a pinch roller which are adapted to hold the substrate therebetween, said print roller having a plurality of cells in a circumferential surface thereof for carrying a conductive liquid, said cells being disposed in a pattern corresponding to at least a portion of the electrical circuit component; a bath adapted for holding the conductive liquid, said print roller sitting in said bath; a doctor blade in contact with the circumferential surface of said print roller, for scraping excess conductive liquid from the circumferential surface of said print roller; and means for rotating said print roller and said pinch roller with respect to the flexible substrate to cause conductive liquid in the print roller cells to be directly deposited on the flexible substrate in a pattern corresponding to the cell pattern, defining at least a portion of the electrical circuit component and being electrically conductive; and a test station having a roller with at least one electrode thereon, said electrode disposed to come into electrical contact with the conductive liquid deposited on the substrate.
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17. Apparatus for directly printing an electrical circuit component onto a flexible substrate, comprising:
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a printing station; means for transporting the flexible substrate to said printing station; and means adapted for directly printing, at said printing station, an electrical circuit component onto the substrate using an electrically-conductive liquid, the means for printing having a print press having a plurality of cells, the printing press cells being in liquid communication in a printing direction and in a direction transverse thereto so that the electrical circuit component, as printed, is electrically conductive in the printing direction and in the transverse direction, liquid communication channels uniform in depth and width of each cell being located substantially in the middle of the cell with respect to the printing direction and the transverse direction. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. Apparatus for directly printing an electrical circuit component onto a flexible or semi-rigid substrate, comprising:
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a rotogravure printing station including a print roller and a pinch roller which are adapted to hold the substrate therebetween, said print roller having a plurality of cells in a circumferential surface thereof adapted for carrying a conductive liquid, said cells being disposed in a pattern corresponding to at least a portion of the electrical circuit component; a bath adapted for holding the conductive liquid, said print roller sitting in said bath; a doctor blade in contact with the circumferential surface of said print roller, for scraping excess conductive liquid from the circumferential surface of said print roller; and means for rotating said print roller and said pinch roller with respect to the flexible substrate to cause conductive liquid in the print roller cells to be directly deposited on the flexible substrate in a pattern corresponding to the cell pattern, the print roller cell pattern having cells that are in liquid communication in a printing direction and a direction transverse thereto so that the printed pattern on the substrate defines at least a portion of the electrical circuit component which is electrically conductive in the printing direction and in the transverse direction, each of said plurality of cells having a liquid communication channel uniform in depth and width in the printing direction and a different liquid communication channel uniform in depth and width in the transverse direction, the liquid communication channels of cells adjacent in the printing direction being substantially colinear and the liquid communication channels of cells adjacent in the transverse direction being substantially colinear. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification