Electrical connections between conductive contacts

• US 9,351,400 B1
• Filed: 02/20/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sung, Kuo-Hua, Grespan, Silvio, Shadle, Brian, Teil, Romain A., Wittenberg, Michael B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aychillhum, Andargie M
• Application Number:
  US14/185,818
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 174/255, 174/261, 174/257
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/11 Printed elements for providing electric connections to or between printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09172 Notches between edge pads
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1361 Coating by immersion in coating bath applying molten solder H05K3/3468
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1476 Same or similar kind of process performed in phases, e.g. coarse patterning followed by fine patterning
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/403 Edge contacts; Windows or holes in the substrate having plural connections on the walls thereof H05K3/4092 takes precedence

Abstract

Conductive contacts can be disposed on multiple substrates or on different surfaces of a single substrate. Conductive material is disposed over at least a portion of the two conductive contacts to electrically connect the contacts. The conductive material may be disposed over at least one surface between the conductive contacts. One or more conductive borders can be formed on a surface of a conductive layer. The conductive border or borders can improve signal transmission across the surface of the conductive layer.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first conductive contact disposed on a first surface of a substrate and a second conductive contact disposed on a different second surface of the substrate; and

a conductive material disposed on at least a portion of the first and second conductive contacts and on at least a portion of an intervening edge of the substrate between each contact surface of the conductive contacts to electrically connect the first and second conductive contacts, wherein the contact surface of the first conductive contact is oriented in a first direction and the contact surface of the second conductive contact is oriented in a different second direction.

2. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions.

3. The electronic device as in claim 1, wherein the conductive material comprises one of a metal, silver nanowire, and conductive nanoparticles.

4. An electronic device, comprising:

a first substrate including a first conductive contact disposed on a surface of the first substrate;

a second substrate disposed below the first substrate and including a second conductive contact disposed on a surface of the second substrate; and

a conductive material disposed on at least a portion of the first and second conductive contacts and on at least a portion of an intervening edge of at least one of the first or second substrates between each contact surface of the first and second conductive contacts to electrically connect the first and second conductive contacts, wherein a contact surface of the first conductive contact and a contact surface of the second conductive contact are oriented in different directions.

5. The electronic device as in claim 4, wherein the first conductive contact is disposed on a front surface of the first substrate and the second conductive contact is disposed on a back surface of the second substrate.

6. The electronic device as in claim 5, wherein the first substrate comprises a display layer and the second substrate comprises a transparent conductive layer.

7. The electronic device as in claim 5, further comprising a flexible cable connected to a flexible cable connector disposed on the front surface of the first substrate.

8. The electronic device as in claim 4, wherein the conductive material comprises one of a metal, silver nanowire, and conductive nanoparticles.

9. A method for forming an electrical connection between conductive contacts disposed on different surfaces of one or more substrates, the method comprising forming a conductive material on at least a portion of the conductive contacts and on at least a portion of an intervening edge of at least one of the one or more substrates between each contact surface of the conductive contacts by dipping the conductive contacts and the intervening edge of the at least one of the one or more substrates between the contact surfaces of the conductive contacts into the conductive material.

10. The method as in claim 9, further comprising forming insulating material over the conductive material to isolate the electrical connection.

11. The method as in claim 9, further comprising forming one or more conductive borders on a portion of a surface of at least one substrate.

12. The method as in claim 11, wherein at least one conductive border is formed along a perimeter edge of the at least one substrate.

13. The method as in claim 9, wherein one conductive contact is disposed on a front surface of a first substrate and the other conductive contact is disposed on a back surface of the first substrate.

14. An electronic device, comprising:

a first conductive layer disposed over a display layer;

a first conductive contact disposed adjacent an edge of a top surface of the display layer;

a second conductive contact disposed adjacent an edge of a bottom surface of the display layer;

a conductive material disposed on at least a portion of the first and second conductive contacts and on at least a portion of an intervening edge of the display layer between each contact surface of the first and second conductive contacts to electrically connect the first and second conductive contacts;

an electrical connector connected between the first conductive layer and the first conductive contact to electrically connect the first conductive contact to the first conductive layer; and

a second conductive layer disposed below the display layer and electrically connected to the second conductive contact, wherein the first conductive layer is electrically connected to the second conductive layer through the electrical connector connected between the first conductive layer and the first conductive contact and the conductive material disposed on at least the portion of the first and second conductive contacts and the intervening edge of the display layer.

15. The method as in claim 14, further comprising one or more conductive borders formed along a perimeter edge of at least one of the first conductive layer or the second conductive layer.

16. The electronic device as in claim 14, wherein the conductive material comprises one of a metal, silver nanowire, and conductive nanoparticles.

17. The electronic device as in claim 14, wherein the edge of the display layer is shaped to include a protrusion, and the first conductive contact is disposed on the top surface of the protrusion and the second conductive contact is disposed on the bottom surface of the protrusion.