EP0872301A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ultrasonic welding of copper foil
Assignee: Mitsui Kinzoku Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1998-04-16
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2018-04-16
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus is disclosed for ultrasonically welding at their edges a strip of their copper foil to a second strip of supporting metal, preferably aluminum or stainless steel having a thickness greater than the copper foil. The welded strips are subsequently sheared into panels for use in making printed circuit boards.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian K. Fisher
- 👤 Albert R. Fisher
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 05:22
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K20/00; B23K20/10; B23K20/103; B23K20/22; B23K20/227; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/02; H05K3/022; H05K3/025; B23K2101/00; B23K2101/18; B23K2103/00; B23K2103/08; B23K2103/12; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/03; H05K2201/0332; H05K2201/0335; H05K2201/0355; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/01; H05K2203/0147; H05K2203/0152; H05K2203/06; H05K2203/068; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/12; Y10T428/12493; Y10T428/12639; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24826
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for continuously ultrasonically welding a strip of copper foil to a
supporting strip of a second metal comprising: (a) drawing said strip of copper foil from a roll of copper foil; (b) drawing said strip of second metal from a roll of said second metal; (c) placing a surface of said strip of copper foil adjacent a surface of said strip
of second metal and aligning the two edges of said strips; (d) passing the aligned strips of copper foil and second metal between at least
one ultrasonic welding station at each edge of the aligned strips, said
ultrasonic welding stations comprising an ultrasonic welding head
contacting said copper foil; (e) applying ultrasonic energy to said copper foil and second metal with said
ultrasonic welding head sufficient to weld said copper foil to said second
metal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method of claim 1 further comprising passing said welded copper foil and
second metal strips of (e) to at least a second ultrasonic welding station at each edge of
the aligned strips and welding said copper foil and second metal at least a second time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said ultrasonic welding head is above said copper
foil strip and a supporting metal idler is below said second metal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said ultrasonic welding head supplies energy at a
frequency of 10-50 kHz.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of claim 1 further comprising shearing said welded strips of copper foil
transverse to the weld, thereby forming panels of copper foil welded to said second
metal at two edges.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said second metal is aluminum.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said second metal is steel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method of claim 7 wherein said steel is stainless steel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of claim 1 wherein said ultrasonic welding head applies a force up to
about 20 lbs. (4.45N) to said strips of copper foil and second metal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of claim 1 wherein the contact time with said ultrasonic welding head is
about 0.1 to 2 seconds.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method of claim 1 wherein tension is applied to said copper foil in a direction
transverse to the direction in which the aligned strips of copper foil and second
metal are passed in (d).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
A panel for use in making copper clad laminates wherein said panel comprises: (a) a sheet of copper foil; (b) a sheet of a second metal having edges congruent with said copper foil
sheet; (c) a linear ultrasonic weld adjacent two edges of said sheets, the weld
securing said sheet of copper foil to said sheet of a second metal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
A panel of claim 12 wherein said second metal is aluminum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
A panel of claim 13 wherein said second metal is steel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
A panel of claim 14 wherein said steel is stainless steel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A panel of claim 12 wherein said sheets of copper and second metal are
rectangular and have only two edges ultrasonically welded.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.