Method of manufacturing printed circuit boards

• US 6,641,860 B1
• Filed: 01/03/2001
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T-Ink Inc. (Winnick & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: T-Ink Incorporated
• Inventors: Kaiserman, Terrance Z., Margolin, Keith J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Talbot, Brian K.
• Application Number:
  US09/753,849
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 427/189-194, 427/198, 427/96, 427/123, 427/355, 427/369, 427/286, 427/287, 427/288
• US Class Current: 427/96.2
• 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 1/095 for polymer thick films, i.e. having a permanent organic polymeric binder
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0113 Female die used for patterning or transferring, e.g. temporary substrate having recessed pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0278 Flat pressure, e.g. for connecting terminals with anisotropic conductive adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0534 Offset printing, i.e. transfer of a pattern from a carrier onto the substrate by using an intermediate member
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/1275 by other printing techniques, e.g. letterpress printing, intaglio printing, lithographic printing, offset printing

Abstract

Methods of manufacturing printed circuit boards are disclosed. The methods utilize various printing techniques to apply conductive compositions to substrates in the creation of printed circuit boards. The method of manufacturing printed circuit board comprises the step of applying conductive composition to a substrate through a cold welding process.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing printed circuit boards comprising:

providing a conductive composition including a liquid vehicle and electrically conductive material therein;

providing a substrate;

applying said conductive composition to said substrate by cold welding said conductive composition to said substrate whereby sufficient pressure is applied to said conductive composition such that said conductive material is separated from said liquid vehicle and said conductive material is forced together so that a desired printed circuit pattern is obtained on said substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said conductive composition is applied to said substrate under pressure of at least about 4 psi.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said pressure is between about 50-1000 psi.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is substantially nonconductive, said conductive composition comprises conductive material and a liquid vehicle, said conductive material being forced together during said cold welding process and said liquid vehicle being retained on the surface of said substrate until it evaporates therefrom.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said cold welding step is part of an offset lithography process.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said cold welding step is part of a dry offset printing process.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said cold welding step is part of a letter press printing process.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said cold welding step is part of a gravure printing process.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said cold welding step is part of a flexographic printing process.

10. A method of manufacturing printed circuit boards comprising:

providing a conductive composition including a liquid vehicle and electrically conductive material therein;

providing a substrate;

initially applying said conductive composition, to said substrate; and

subjecting said conductive composition and said substrate to a cold welding process after said conductive composition has been applied to the surface of said substrate whereby sufficient pressure is applied to said conductive composition such that said conductive material is separated from said liquid vehicle and said conductive material is forced together to form a conductive trace on the surface of said substrate.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said predetermined pressure is at least about 4 psi.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said predetermined pressure is between about 50 psi-1000 psi.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said predetermined pressure is between about 50 psi-500 psi.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said predetermined pressure is applied through an in line process.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein said predetermined pressure is applied through an off line process where the printed circuit board with the conductive composition applied is placed in a separate pressurizing assembly.