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US5262615A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Film resistor made by laser trimming

Assignee: Honeywell Inc
•
Filing: 1991-11-05
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Granted: 1993-11-16
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Expires: 2011-11-05
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Abstract

Abstract A trimmable resistor is provided which can be trimmed with a single movement of a laser beam without requiring intermitted deenergizations of the beam accompanied by measurements of the resistance to determine additional material removal steps. The procedure of the present invention begins the material removal at a location within the body of the resistor and displaced from all edges of the resistor body by a predetermined amount. The energization of the laser immediately begins to remove material at its initial location and, as the laser is moved to a second location, a single cut is made to calibrate the resistor wherein the entire cut is located within the body of the resistor and no part of the cut intersects any edge of the resistor body. The length of the cut is calculated prior to initiation of the trimming procedure and the technique of the present invention permits the movement of the laser beam to be precisely made without positioning error being induced by the normal initiation point which is located outside of the body of the resistor in trimming techniques known to those skilled in the art.

Inventors

  • 👤 Peter G. Hancock

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 09:11
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01C; H01C17/00; H01C17/22; H01C17/24; H01C17/242

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 203 words
A method for trimming a film resistor, comprising: positioning a laser at a first position with the beam direction of said laser aligned in interfering relation with a portion of the body of said film resistor; energizing said laser to pierce a hole through said body of said film resistor, said hole being displaced from the edges of said body; moving said laser beam from said first position to a second position while said laser remains energized, said second position being displaced from all edges of said body, said beams never intersecting any edge of said body while said laser is energized, said first and second positions being separated by a distance defined by Q=W+2F-D-ρ.sub.S L/R where Q is the distance between said first and second positions, W is the width of said body, L is the length of said body, D is the effective diameter of said laser beam, R is the desired resistance of the film resistor, ρ S is the sheet resistivity of said body and F is a constant which relates to the geometry of said film resistor and describes the effect of electrical field fringing; and deenergizing said laser when said beam is disposed at said second position.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 203 words
A method for trimming a film resistor, comprising: positioning a laser at a first position with the beam direction of said laser aligned in interfering relation with a portion of the body of said film resistor; energizing said laser to pierce a hole through said body of said film resistor, said hole being displaced from the edges of said body; moving said laser beam from said first position to a second position while said laser remains energized, said second position being displaced from all edges of said body, said beams never intersecting any edge of said body while said laser is energized, said first and second positions being separated by a distance defined by Q=W+2F-D-ρ.sub.S L/R where Q is the distance between said first and second positions, W is the width of said body, L is the length of said body, D is the effective diameter of said laser beam, R is the desired resistance of the film resistor, ρ S is the sheet resistivity of said body and F is a constant which relates to the geometry of said film resistor and describes the effect of electrical field fringing; and deenergizing said laser when said beam is disposed at said second position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 12 words
A film resistor made in accordance with the method of claim 1.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 229 words
A method for trimming a resistor, comprising: aligning a deenergized laser with a body of said resistor so that when the laser is energized the laser beam will intersect said body at a first position, said first position being displaced from all edges of said body; energizing said laser to pierce a hole through said body at said first position; moving said laser beams relative to said body, so that said laser beam intersects said body at a second position, said moving step being performed while said laser remains energized, resulting in the removal of an effected portion of said body between said first and second positions, said second position and said effected portion being displaced from all edges of said body, said first and second positions being separated by a distance defined by Q=W+2F-D-ρ.sub.S L/R where Q is the distance between said first and second positions, W is the width of said body, L is the length of said body, D is the effective diameter of said laser beam, R is the desired resistance of the film resistor, ρ S is the sheet resistivity of said body and F is a constant which relates to the geometry of said film resistor and describes the effect of electrical field fringing; and deenergizing said laser after said laser beam has been moved from said first position to said second position.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 229 words
A method for trimming a resistor, comprising: aligning a deenergized laser with a body of said resistor so that when the laser is energized the laser beam will intersect said body at a first position, said first position being displaced from all edges of said body; energizing said laser to pierce a hole through said body at said first position; moving said laser beams relative to said body, so that said laser beam intersects said body at a second position, said moving step being performed while said laser remains energized, resulting in the removal of an effected portion of said body between said first and second positions, said second position and said effected portion being displaced from all edges of said body, said first and second positions being separated by a distance defined by Q=W+2F-D-ρ.sub.S L/R where Q is the distance between said first and second positions, W is the width of said body, L is the length of said body, D is the effective diameter of said laser beam, R is the desired resistance of the film resistor, ρ S is the sheet resistivity of said body and F is a constant which relates to the geometry of said film resistor and describes the effect of electrical field fringing; and deenergizing said laser after said laser beam has been moved from said first position to said second position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 3, wherein; said resistor is a film resistor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 11 words
A resistor made in accordance with the method of claim 3.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 203 words
A resistor made by a trimming process, comprising: positioning a laser at a first position with the beam direction of said laser aligned in interfering relation with a portion of the body of a film resistor; energizing said laser to pierce a hole through said body of said film resistor, said hole being displaced from the edges of said body; moving said laser beam from said first position to a second position while said laser remains energized, said second position being displaced from all edges of said body, said beams never intersecting any edge of said body while said laser is energized, said first and second positions being separated by a distance defined by Q=W+2F-D-ρ.sub.S L/R where Q is the distance between said first and second positions, W is the width of said body, L is the length of said body, D is the effective diameter of said laser beam, R is the desired resistance of the film resistor, ρ S is the sheet resistivity of said body and F is a constant which relates to the geometry of said film resistor and describes the effect of electrical field fringing; and deenergizing said laser when said beam is disposed at said second position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 203 words
A resistor made by a trimming process, comprising: positioning a laser at a first position with the beam direction of said laser aligned in interfering relation with a portion of the body of a film resistor; energizing said laser to pierce a hole through said body of said film resistor, said hole being displaced from the edges of said body; moving said laser beam from said first position to a second position while said laser remains energized, said second position being displaced from all edges of said body, said beams never intersecting any edge of said body while said laser is energized, said first and second positions being separated by a distance defined by Q=W+2F-D-ρ.sub.S L/R where Q is the distance between said first and second positions, W is the width of said body, L is the length of said body, D is the effective diameter of said laser beam, R is the desired resistance of the film resistor, ρ S is the sheet resistivity of said body and F is a constant which relates to the geometry of said film resistor and describes the effect of electrical field fringing; and deenergizing said laser when said beam is disposed at said second position.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

DE2337466A1 Cited
US4041440A Cited
US4097988A Cited
US4159461A Cited
US5081439A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-11-15 1997-05-17 1997-11-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-11-15 2001-05-17 2001-11-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-11-15 2005-05-17 2005-11-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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