US4649497A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer-produced circuit board
Assignee: Fluke Corp
•
Filing: 1983-06-03
•
Granted: 1987-03-10
•
Expires: 2003-06-03
Abstract
Abstract A method of manufacturing a circuit board from a copper clad board comprises the steps of designing a circuit configuration of the circuit board on a computer-aided design system and then determining a desired circuit configuration outline on the computer-aided design system from the circuit configuration. The desired circuit configuration outline is provided to a computer-aided machining system which controls a laser, milling machine and the like to remove conductive material along the outline, leaving conductive material formed adjacent the removed material as the circuit configuration.
Inventors
- 👤 Alden J. Carlson
- 👤 Kasi S. Bhaskar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 13:51
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/18; G05B19/4097; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06F30/30; G06F30/39; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/02; H05K3/027; H05K3/04; H05K3/043; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/49; G05B2219/49008; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/49155
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A method a manufacturing a circuit board using a computer system, comprising: (a) designing a circuit configuration of the circuit board on a computer aided design system; (b) determining a desired circuit configuration outline on said computer aided design system from said circuit configuration and providing the desired circuit configuration outline to a computer aided machining system; and (c) removing conductive material along the outline to leave conductive material formed adjacent the removal material as the circuit configuration under the guidance of said computer aided machining system from a conductive material covered, nonconductive board.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
94 words
A method a manufacturing a circuit board using a computer system, comprising: (a) designing a circuit configuration of the circuit board on a computer aided design system; (b) determining a desired circuit configuration outline on said computer aided design system from said circuit configuration and providing the desired circuit configuration outline to a computer aided machining system; and (c) removing conductive material along the outline to leave conductive material formed adjacent the removal material as the circuit configuration under the guidance of said computer aided machining system from a conductive material covered, nonconductive board.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said designing step includes inputting component locations and interconnection information to said computer aided design system.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said removing step includes sand blasting.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said removing step includes laser machining.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said removing step includes routing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said removing step includes milling.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said removing step includes chemical machining.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of manufacturing a circuit board using a computer system, comprising: (a) forming a nonconductive board base using a forming process controlled by the computer system; (b) coating said base with a conductive material using a coating process controlled by the computer system; and (c) removing portions of said conductive material along a desired outline of circuit lines using a material removal tool guided by the computer system to remove from the base the conductive material portions along the desired outline.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of manufacturing a circuit board using a computer system, comprising: (a) forming a nonconductive board base using a forming process controlled by the computer system; (b) coating said base with a conductive material using a coating process controlled by the computer system; and (c) removing portions of said conductive material along a desired outline of circuit lines using a material removal tool guided by the computer system to remove from the base the conductive material portions along the desired outline.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as claimed in claim 8 where said forming step includes plastic molding of said base.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method as claimed in claim 8 where said forming step includes cutting.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said coating step includes chemical deposition.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method as claimed in claim 8 where said coating step includes sputtering.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3932932A
Cited
US4253231A
Cited
US4211603A
Cited
US4338508A
Cited
US4392362A
Cited
US4424519A
Cited
US4419675A
Cited
US4354196A
Cited
US4404569A
Cited
US4411982A
Cited
US4504607A
Cited
US4417297A
Cited
US4346987A
Cited
US4374457A
Cited
US4392909A
Cited
EP0047388A2
Cited
US4325780A
Cited
US4377849A
Cited
US4417393A
Cited
US4358659A
Cited
US4521262A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-03-09 | 1990-09-08 | 1991-03-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-03-09 | 1994-09-08 | 1995-03-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-03-09 | 1998-09-08 | 1999-03-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |