# US 12,214,579 B2 · Dry film lamination with dynamic feedback control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,579 B2 - Document ID: US12214579B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/949,276 - Filed: 2022-09-21 - Published: 2024-03-21 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-09-21 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Joshua Stacey; Yosef Kornbluth; Whitney Bryks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214579B2 ## CPC - B32B 41/00: Arrangements for controlling or monitoring lamination processes; Safety arrangements - B30B 15/064: {with heating or cooling means} - B30B 15/34: Heating or cooling presses or parts thereof - B32B 37/06: characterised by the heating method - B32B 37/08: characterised by the cooling method - B32B 37/10: characterised by the pressing technique, e.g. using action of vacuum or fluid pressure - H10W 70/05: of insulating or insulated package substrates, or of interposers, or of redistribution layers (manufacture or treatment of leadframes H10W70/04) - B32B 2309/022: Temperature vs pressure profiles - B32B 2309/105: Thickness - B32B 2309/12: Pressure - B32B 2309/72: For measuring or regulating, e.g. systems with feedback loops - B32B 2457/00: Electrical equipment - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - B30B: PRESSES IN GENERAL (producing ultra-high pressure or ultra-high pressure and high temperature to effect modifications of a substance, e.g. for making artificial diamonds B01J3/00 ){(compressing means for refuse receptacles B65F1/1405)} - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract The present disclosure is directed to a position-controlled lamination tool or press that includes an array or plurality of pressure sensors and an array or plurality of heating/cooling elements or components, which may be coupled together, for preventing or reducing laminating film or material bleed out and improving thickness variation performance. The pressure sensors may provide a controller, which is coupled to the lamination tool, with real-time feedback on any thickness variations across a substrate panel and the controller may adjust the temperature output of the heating and cooling elements to locally modify the viscosity of the laminating material in one or more regions of the substrate panel to either decrease or increase the flowability of the laminating material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lamination tool comprising: a press unit comprising: a plurality of pressure sensors; and a heating block, the heating block comprising a pressing surface and a plurality of heating and cooling elements positioned proximally to and distributed throughout the pressing surface, wherein the plurality of pressure sensors are embedded in the pressing surface, wherein each pressure sensor is paired with and adjacent to a corresponding one of the plurality of heating and cooling elements; and a controller unit configured to regulate an output temperature of each of the plurality of heating and cooling elements, wherein each pressure sensor of the plurality of pressure sensors is coupled to the controller unit and configured to provide a corresponding pressure sensor feedback to the controller unit, wherein the output temperature for each of the corresponding ones of the plurality of heating and cooling elements is based on its corresponding pressure sensor feedback. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lamination tool of claim 1, wherein the controller unit is provided with a plurality of temperature profile set points to regulate each of the plurality of heating and cooling elements based on their locations on the pressing surface, wherein the temperature profile set points comprises pressure set points. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The lamination tool of claim 2, wherein the temperature profile set points regulate the output temperature of the plurality of heating and cooling elements at the pressing surface to control a viscosity of a laminating film placed on an item for lamination. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The lamination tool of claim 1, wherein the press unit further comprises an opposing heating block, the opposing heating block comprises a plurality of opposing heating and cooling elements positioned proximally to an opposing pressing surface and distributed throughout the opposing pressing surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The lamination tool of claim 1, wherein the pressing surface is a thermoconductive rigid plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The lamination tool of claim 1, wherein the heating block further comprises a cooling system for providing a coolant to the pressing surface. ### Claim 7 A method comprising: providing an item for lamination and positioning the item in a press area of a lamination tool, the lamination tool comprising a press unit comprising a plurality of pressure sensors and a heating block, the heating block comprising a pressing surface and a plurality of heating and cooling elements positioned proximally to and distributed throughout the pressing surface, wherein the plurality of pressure sensors are embedded in the pressing surface, wherein each pressure sensor is paired with and adjacent to a corresponding one of the plurality of heating and cooling elements; positioning a laminating film over a lamination area for the item; applying heat at the plurality of heating and cooling elements and applying pressure on the laminating film to reduce a viscosity of the laminating film, wherein the heat and the pressure bond the laminating film to the item to form a laminated item; measuring at each pressure sensor of the plurality of pressure sensors a corresponding pressure sensor feedback; and adjusting the applying of heat or removing the heat and applying cooling at the corresponding ones of the plurality of heating and cooling elements, each based on its corresponding pressure sensor feedback and according to temperature profile set points to selectively adjust the viscosity of the laminating film to control a thickness profile of the laminated item. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the applying of pressure and the applying of heat is regulated using a controller coupled to the lamination tool. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the applying of pressure and heat are enabled by a press unit of the lamination tool, the press unit having a heating block comprising a pressing surface and a plurality of heating and cooling elements, and a plurality of pressure sensors that are positioned proximally to and distributed throughout the pressing surface, and wherein the plurality of heating and cooling elements and the plurality of pressure sensors are coupled to the controller. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprises providing a controller unit with a plurality of temperature profile set points to regulate each of the plurality of heating and cooling elements based on their locations on the pressing surface, wherein the temperature profile set points comprises pressure set points. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprises the plurality of pressure sensors providing feedback to the controller; and monitoring the applying of pressure to adjust the applying of heat or remove the heat and applying cooling by selected heating and cooling elements based on their locations on the pressing surface and the feedback. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the temperature profile set points regulate each of the plurality of heating and cooling elements to selectively adjust the viscosity of the laminating film to provide the laminated item with predefined thicknesses at different locations of the laminated item. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprises the laminating film having a film boundary and the lamination area having an area boundary, wherein the temperature profile set points regulate each of the plurality of heating and cooling elements to selectively adjust the viscosity of the laminating film to form the laminated item with the film boundary being substantially coextensive with the area boundary. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the lamination area for the item further comprises a top area and a bottom area for the item for lamination, and a first laminating film is positioned over the top area and a second laminating film is positioned over the bottom area. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprises positioning additional lamination films on the lamination area and having additional temperature profile set points for each additional lamination film. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprises introducing a coolant into the heating block to cool the laminated item and separate the laminated item from the press unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the item for lamination comprises a panel, a plurality of pre-diced substrate cores, and various intermediates and pre-finished forms of package substrates. ### Claim 18 A lamination tool comprising: a press unit having upper and lower heating blocks, the upper and lower heating blocks, respectively, comprise a pressing surface, a plurality of thermoelectric heating and cooling elements positioned proximally to and distributed throughout the pressing surface, and a plurality of pressure sensors that are paired with and positioned proximal to the plurality of thermoelectric heating and cooling elements, wherein the plurality of pressure sensors are embedded in the pressing surface, wherein each pressure sensor is paired with and adjacent to a corresponding one of the plurality of heating and cooling elements; and a controller unit configured to regulate an output temperature from each of the plurality of thermoelectric heating and cooling elements, wherein the plurality of pressure sensors provide feedback to the controller unit, wherein the output temperature of each of the corresponding ones of the plurality of heating and cooling elements is based on its corresponding pressure sensor feedback. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The lamination tool of claim 18, further comprises a cooling system for providing a coolant to the upper and lower heating blocks and the plurality of thermoelectric heating and cooling elements.