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US 11,516,921 B2Granted
Reel-to-reel lamination methods and devices in FPC fabrication
AssigneeManaflex, LLC
InventorRobert Clinton Lane
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reel-to-reel lamination method to laminate a metal foil or circuitry pattern on the fly. The method includes applying a UV laminate or thermoset laminate to the metal foil or the circuitry pattern reel to reel, and then apply a UV radiation or heat to the laminate. There can be an optional enclosure connected to a suction source. The enclosure can have a flexible bladder that physically compresses the laminate.
Claims11
A lamination method to manufacture a flexible printed circuit using a reel-to-reel machine, the method comprising:
- feeding a metal foil into the reel-to-reel machine, wherein the metal foil has a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being opposite of said first surface;
- applying a coverlay onto the first surface of the metal foil reel while the metal foil is in motion moving about in the reel-to-reel machine;
- passing said metal foil and said coverlay together between a first nip roller and a first anvil;
- curing the coverlay;
- and
- wherein the coverlay is a UV laminate, and the curing step includes providing a UV lamp within the reel-to-reel machine, and applying a UV ray to at least one of said metal foil and said UV laminate as the metal foil and the UV laminate pass together through a vacuum enclosure such that the vacuum enclosure also acts as a lamination chamber;
- wherein the vacuum enclosure is disposed within the reel-to-reel machine.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.