US4626462A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for the manufacture of through-hole contacted flexible circuit boards for high bending stresses and the circuit boards made therefrom
Assignee: Carl Freudenberg KG
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Filing: 1985-09-13
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Granted: 1986-12-02
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Expires: 2005-09-13
Abstract
Abstract A multi-layer through-hole contacted flexible circuit board and method of manufacture thereof is presented having a laminar construction which is strictly symmetrical in the bending area; and which have no exposed adhesive. Registration holes are first introduced in a copper-laminated base material, then, avoiding the bending area, with the aid of the registration holes, an adhesive layer is applied to the non-conductive film carrier of the base material. Next, a second copper foil is placed on the adhesive layer. Thereafter, all of the layers are laminated. This is followed by the formation of through-holes in the area surrounding the bending area while circuit patterns are formed in the flexible or bending area (the registration holes again providing assistance in positioning). The spaces between the circuit pattern, as well as the entire copper foil, is then etched away in the bending area, and, finally, all the conducting path areas are covered with non-conductive cover film. As a result, the conducting paths are located in the "neutral section", that is, the area of the flexible circuit board which is neutral with respect to the forces generated during bending.
Inventors
- 👤 Horst Kober
- 👤 Gunter Trogisch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 05:33
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/46; H05K3/4688; H05K3/4691; H05K3/22; H05K3/28; H05K3/281; H05K3/40; H05K3/42; H05K3/4611; H05K3/4626; H05K3/4635; H05K3/4638; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/03; H05K1/0393; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/03; H05K2201/0332; H05K2201/0335; H05K2201/0355; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/16; H05K2203/167; H05K3/02; H05K3/06; H05K3/38; H05K3/386; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/901; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24273; Y10T428/24322; Y10T428/24802; Y10T428/24917
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of manufacturing a flexible circuit element comprising the steps of: forming a first flexible non-conductive carrier film; forming a first conductive layer; providing a first adhesive layer between said first carrier film and said first conductive layer; laminating said first carrier film, first adhesive layer and first conductive layer to form a flexible base laminate; selectively providing a second adhesive layer to portions of said first carrier film of said flexible base laminate whereby at least one area on said first carrier film has no adhesive and defines a bending region; and providing a second conductive layer on said second adhesive layer whereby said bending region is covered by said second conductive layer and defines a space; and laminating said flexible base laminate, second adhesive layer and second conductive layer to define a flexible laminate unit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of manufacturing a flexible circuit element comprising the steps of: forming a first flexible non-conductive carrier film; forming a first conductive layer; providing a first adhesive layer between said first carrier film and said first conductive layer; laminating said first carrier film, first adhesive layer and first conductive layer to form a flexible base laminate; selectively providing a second adhesive layer to portions of said first carrier film of said flexible base laminate whereby at least one area on said first carrier film has no adhesive and defines a bending region; and providing a second conductive layer on said second adhesive layer whereby said bending region is covered by said second conductive layer and defines a space; and laminating said flexible base laminate, second adhesive layer and second conductive layer to define a flexible laminate unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 1 including the steps of: forming at least one conductive through-hole in said flexible laminate unit in a location outside of said bending region; and forming a circuit pattern in said second conductive layer, a portion of said circuit pattern being formed over said space.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2 including the step of: removing the portion of said second conductive layer over said space to expose some of said first carrier film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 3 including the steps of: providing a third adhesive layer to the unremoved second conductive layer; and providing an upper non-conductive covering film on said third adhesive layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 3 including the steps of: providing a fourth adhesive layer to the first conductive layer; and providing a lower non-conductive covering film on said fourth adhesive layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 4 including the steps of: providing a fourth adhesive layer to the first conductive layer; and providing a lower non-conductive covering film on said fourth adhesive layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 4 wherein: said upper covering film and third adhesive layer have a total thickness about equal to the total thickness of said first carrier film and said first adhesive layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 6 wherein: said upper covering film and third adhesive layer have a total thickness about equal to the total thickness of said first carrier film and said first adhesive layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 3 wherein: said step of removing the portion of said second conductive layer over said space is simultaneous with said step of forming said circuit pattern.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 3 wherein: said step of removing the portion of said second conductive layer over said space is accomplished by etching.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
140 words
A flexible circuit element formed in a method of manufacturing comprising the steps of: forming a first flexible non-conductive carrier film; forming a first conductive layer; providing a first adhesive layer between said first carrier film and said first conductive layer; laminating said first carrier film, first adhesive layer and first conductive layer to form a flexible base laminate; selectively providing a second adhesive layer to portions of said first carrier film of said flexible base laminate whereby at least one area on said first carrier film has no adhesive and defines a bending region; and providing a second conductive layer on said second adhesive layer whereby said bending region is covered by said second conductive layer and defines a space; and laminating said flexible base laminate, second adhesive layer and second conductive layer to define a flexible laminate unit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
140 words
A flexible circuit element formed in a method of manufacturing comprising the steps of: forming a first flexible non-conductive carrier film; forming a first conductive layer; providing a first adhesive layer between said first carrier film and said first conductive layer; laminating said first carrier film, first adhesive layer and first conductive layer to form a flexible base laminate; selectively providing a second adhesive layer to portions of said first carrier film of said flexible base laminate whereby at least one area on said first carrier film has no adhesive and defines a bending region; and providing a second conductive layer on said second adhesive layer whereby said bending region is covered by said second conductive layer and defines a space; and laminating said flexible base laminate, second adhesive layer and second conductive layer to define a flexible laminate unit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
The circuit element of claim 11 including the steps of: forming at least one conductive through-hole in said flexible laminate unit in a location outside of said bending region; and forming a circuit pattern in said second conductive layer, a portion of said circuit pattern being formed over said space.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The circuit element of claim 12 including the step of: removing the portion of said second conductive layer over said space to expose some of said first carrier film.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The circuit element of claim 13 including the steps of: providing a third adhesive layer to the unremoved second conductive layer; and providing an upper non-conductive covering film on said third adhesive layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The circuit element of claim 13 including the steps of: providing a fourth adhesive layer to the first conductive layer; and providing a lower non-conductive covering film on said fourth adhesive layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The circuit element of claim 14 including the steps of: providing a fourth adhesive layer to the first conductive layer; and providing a lower non-conductive covering film on said fourth adhesive layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The circuit element of claim 14 wherein: said upper covering film and third adhesive layer have a total thickness about equal to the total thickness of said first carrier film and said first adhesive layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The circuit element of claim 16 wherein: said upper covering film and third adhesive layer have a total thickness about equal to the total thickness of said first carrier film and said first adhesive layer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The circuit element of claim 13 wherein: said step of removing the portion of said second conductive layer over said space is simultaneous with said step of forming said circuit pattern.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The circuit element of claim 13 wherein: said step of removing the portion of said second conductive layer over said space is accomplished by etching.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-12-01 | 1990-06-02 | 1990-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-12-01 | 1994-06-02 | 1994-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-12-01 | 1998-06-02 | 1998-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |