Printed circuit boards with integrated passive components and method for making same
AssigneeBourns, Inc.
InventorsMichael F. Ehman, Larry L. Eslinger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-layered printed circuit board having a plurality of burried passive elements and a method for producing the circuit board wherein the passive elements can include resistors, capacitors and inductors. The method includes the steps of manufacturing individual layers of the multi-layer printed circuit board with electrical circuits thereon and subsequently screening polymer inks having resistive, dielectric or magnetic values to form the resistors, capacitors and inductors. Each layer of the circuit board is cured to dry the polymer ink and thereafter the individual layers are bonded together to form the multi-layer board.
Claims14
A multi-layer printed circuit board having a plurality of buried passive elements comprising:
- a plurality of circuit board layers bonded together;
- at least one electrical circuit on each layer;
- a polymer ink resistor screened on at least one of the layers in electrical contact with the electrical circuit;
- a capacitor having an upper capacitor plate and a lower capacitor plate formed in the electrical circuits of adjacent circuit board layers and a polymeric ink dielectric screened between the upper and lower capacitor plates;
- and
- an inductor element formed in the electrical circuit of a circuit board layer and a polymeric ink layer screened on an adjacent circuit board layer in line with the inductor element.
A multi-layer printed circuit board comprising:
- a plurality of circuit board layers bonded together;
- an electrical circuit on an upper surface and a lower surface of each printed circuit board layer;
- a first buried passive element screened in electrical contact with the electrical circuits between adjacent circuit board layers;
- and
- a second and different buried passive element screened in electrical contact with the electrical circuits between adjacent circuit board layers, wherein the second passive element is an inductor having an inductor element formed in the electrical circuit of a circuit board layer and a polymeric ink layer screened on an adjacent circuit board layer in line with the inductor element.
A method for producing a printed circuit board having a plurality of circuit board layers comprising:
- generating electrical circuits on each individual circuit board layer, the electrical circuits having portions to accommodate passive components;
- depositing a first polymer ink on the electrical circuits to form at least one first passive component;
- curing the first polymer ink;
- depositing a second and different polymer ink on the electrical circuits to form at least one second passive component, wherein the second passive component is an inductor having an inductor element formed in the electrical circuit of one of the circuit board layers and wherein the polymer ink is screened on an adjacent circuit board layer in line with the inductor element;
- curing the second polymer ink;
- and
- bonding the circuit board layers together to form a multi-layer printed circuit board.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.