Direct-Written Bus Bars for Robust Conductive Ink Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional screen printed resin-based conductive ink circuits face challenges with bus bar adhesion due to the need for specialized surface treatments and adhesive handling, which can compromise robustness if not done correctly.
Innovation Solution
Direct writing of metal or alloy bus bars, such as copper, onto areas of desired electrical connections in the conductive ink, eliminating the need for adhesives and curing, and allowing for soldering of wires directly to the bus bars for electrical connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conductive adhesive is used to bond bus bars to screen printed resin-based conductive ink, then electrical connection is achieved, but the process requires specialized surface treatments and adhesive handling which increases manufacturing complexity and reduces robustness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the conductive adhesive layer from the bonding process entirely. Instead of using adhesive to bond bus bars to the conductive ink, the invention uses a plasma spray process to directly deposit metal bus bars onto the screen printed conductive ink, eliminating the need for surface treatments and adhesive handling while improving attachment robustness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/adhesive bonding system with a plasma spray deposition system. The plasma spray process uses ionized gas to deposit metal particles that directly bond to the conductive ink through thermal and mechanical bonding mechanisms, eliminating the need for chemical adhesives and associated surface treatments
2Productivity
If traditional conductive adhesive bonding method is used, then bus bars can be attached to conductive ink, but curing is required which increases manufacturing time and labor requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the curing step by removing the adhesive component from the process. The plasma spray deposited bus bars achieve immediate bonding upon deposition without requiring thermal or chemical curing, thereby eliminating the time loss associated with curing and increasing manufacturing productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The plasma spray process performs the bonding action during the deposition process itself, rather than requiring a separate subsequent curing step. The metal particles are deposited in a plasma state and bond immediately upon contact with the substrate, completing the bonding action as part of the deposition process
3Reliability
If conductive adhesive is used for bus bar attachment, then electrical connection is achieved, but worker inexperience can compromise adhesion quality
Solution Approach 1:
The plasma spray process is an automated deposition method that does not require manual adhesive handling. The system automatically deposits and bonds the bus bars through the plasma spray process, eliminating the need for worker intervention in adhesive application and ensuring consistent adhesion quality regardless of worker experience level
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual adhesive handling process with an automated plasma spray deposition system. This substitution eliminates the variability introduced by manual operations and ensures consistent, high-quality adhesion through controlled plasma process parameters
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing an electrical connection for conductive ink includes direct writing a bus bar onto areas of a desired electrical connection of the conductive ink. The conductive ink is screen printed onto a dielectric film to create a conductive circuit. An aircraft heated floor panel includes at least one floor panel of an aircraft. The one floor panel includes a conductive circuit having a conductive ink including a bus bar directly written onto areas of a desired electrical connection of the conductive ink. The conductive ink is screen printed onto a dielectric film to create a conductive circuit.