Circuit elements having an embedded conductive trace and methods of manufacture
AssigneeNashua Corporation
InventorsDarren Lochun, John J. Ireland
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Abstract
Disclosed is a circuit element that includes a thermoplastic substrate and a conductive trace at least partially embedded in the thermoplastic substrate. Also disclosed is a method of forming a circuit element. The method includes the steps of providing a thermoplastic substrate having a softening temperature, printing a conductive ink onto the thermoplastic substrate to form a trace, and embedding the trace into the thermoplastic substrate by heating the thermoplastic substrate to a temperature above about the softening temperature about the trace.
Claims27
A circuit element comprising:
- a thermoplastic substrate;
- and
- a conductive trace at least partially embedded in the thermoplastic substrate.
A method of forming a circuit element, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a thermoplastic substrate having a softening temperature (TS);
- printing a conductive ink onto the thermoplastic substrate to form a trace;
- and
- embedding the trace into the thermoplastic substrate by heating the thermoplastic substrate to a temperature above about the TS.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.