Tunable resistance conductive ink circuit

• US 8,686,292 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miraco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Miraco, Inc.
• Inventors: Bulmer, Douglas R., Roberts, Jonathan, Murphy, Davis
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayo, III, William H
• Application Number:
  US13/402,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20120212317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 174/110.R, 174/117.R, 174/113.R, 174/117.F, 174/117.FF, 174/120.R
• US Class Current: 174/110.R
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/02 adapted for manufacturing resistors with envelope or housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/14 by chemical deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/24 by removing or adding resistive material H01C17/23, H01C17/232, H01C17/235 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/242 by laser trimming by laser in general B23K26/351
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 17/245 by mechanical means, e.g. sand blasting, cutting, ultrasonic treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 3/06 Flexible or folding resistors, whereby such a resistor can be looped or collapsed upon itself
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49082 Resistor making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49087 with envelope or housing

Abstract

The method and system of high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cables which contain integral tunable resistance sections suitable for fine tuning the resistance of a conductor to match the resistance of the conductors to one another within a specified target value. The method involves the design and creation of the high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cables and the tuning of the resistance of the conductor.

Claims

1. A tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable comprising,

two more conductors wherein at least one conductor is a master conductor and is used for matching the resistance of other conductors, and

at least one tuning section on at least one conductor for adjusting the resistance of the flat cable wherein the cable has a resistance from about 8 to about 12 kOhms per foot and the tuning section represents from about 0.02 kOhms to about 10 kOhms.

2. The tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 1, wherein the master conductor does not contain tuning sections.

3. The tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 1, wherein the number of conductors is from about 4 to about 8.

4. The tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 1, wherein the cable is from about 2 feet to about 10 feet in length.

5. The tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 1, wherein the conductor contains more than one tuning section.

6. The tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 1, wherein the conductor comprises conductive ink that is from about ½

mil to about 5 mil thick and from about ½

mil to about 100 mil wide.

7. The tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 1, wherein the tuning section comprises one or more conductive loops with multiple conductive paths.

8. A method of tuning a high-resistance, multi e-conductor flat cable comprising,

providing a cable, wherein the cable has two or more conductors with at least one tuning section on at least one conductor, wherein at least one conductor is a master conductor and is used for matching the resistance of other conductors;

and

severing at least one tuning section, thereby increasing the resistance of the flat cable, wherein the cable has a resistance from about 8 to about 12 kOhms per foot and the tuning section represents from about 0.02 to about 10 kOhms.

9. The method of tuning a high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 8, wherein the master conductor does not contain tuning sections.

10. The method awning a high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 8, wherein the number of conductors is from about 4 to about 8.

11. The method of tuning a high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 8, wherein the cable is from about 2 feet to about 10 feet in length.

12. The method of tuning high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 8, wherein the conductor contains more than one tuning section.

13. The method of tuning a high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 8, wherein the conductor comprises conductive ink that is from about ½

mil to about 5 mil thick and from about ½

nil to about 100 mil wide.

14. The method of tuning a high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable or claim 8, wherein the step of severing comprises punching, drilling, cutting, skiving, scoring, or ablating with a laser.

15. The method of tuning a high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 8, wherein the step of severing occurs after an insulating film has been applied to the conductor.

16. A method of manufacturing a tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable, comprising,

providing a substrate, wherein the substrate contains a negative image of the conductor pattern, wherein the conductor pattern comprises two or more conductors, and at least one tuning section on at least one conductor, wherein at least one conductor is a master conductor and is used for matching the resistance of other conductors;

applying conductive ink to the conductor pattern, thereby forming a conductor;

curing the conductive ink;

stripping the substrate, thereby leaving the conductor; and

laminating the conductor, thereby forming a tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable, wherein the cable has a resistance from about 8 to about 12 kOhms per foot and the tuning section represents from about (0.02 to about 10 kOhms.

17. The method of manufacturing a tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 16, wherein the substrate is dry film photoresist.

18. The method of manufacturing a tunable, high-resistance, conductor flat cable of claim 16, wherein the tuning section comprises one or more closed conductive loops with multiple conductive paths.

19. The method of manufacturing a tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 16, wherein the step of applying conductive ink is repeated.

20. The method manufacturing a tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 16, wherein the step of curing the ink comprises heating the ink in an oven.

21. The method of manufacturing a tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 16, further comprising the step of measuring the resistance of the conductor.

22. The method manufacturing a tunable, high-resistance, multiple-conductor flat cable of claim 21, wherein the step of measuring the resistance of the conductor occurs after the lamination step.