Patent · US Expired

Structure of a flexible printed circuit for inkjet printheads and the manufacturing process therefor

US6652073B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
1References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 8, 2002
Grant dateNov 25, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 8, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05K2201/09063
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

The invention discloses a manufacturing processing of making a flexible printed circuit for inkjet printheads. Through the change of the flexible printed circuit structure, residual stress at the bent part can be reduced and the efficiency and precision of subsequent processes can be increased. The disclosed process is thus able to make products with high reliability and quality. The process involves the steps of: (1) preparing a flexible printed circuit substrate and making a window at a predetermined bent part; (2) coating the substrate with a metal layer so that the substrate become conductive; (3) etching the metal layer through a photolithography process to produce a conductive circuit on the flexible printed circuit; and (4) forming a cover layer (solder mask materials such as epoxy or acrylic resins) at the window. A flexible printed circuit thus produced is pre-bent, easy to attach and align, and has less residual stress and a cover layer or film at the bent part.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.