Insulating Ink Wiring Pattern Design for Contact Region Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

In electronic device manufacturing, flexographic or inkjet printing methods for forming insulating layers can lead to poor conduction due to insulating ink spreading over wiring lines, potentially covering contact regions essential for electrical connections.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the formation of a wiring pattern with specific shapes, such as trunk and branch wiring lines or parallel wiring lines with nodes, to prevent insulating ink from reaching contact regions during the printing process, ensuring these regions remain exposed and free from ink coverage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If insulating ink is applied by flexographic printing or inkjet printing to form an insulating layer, then productivity is improved and costs are reduced, but the insulating ink may spread over wiring lines and cover contact regions, causing poor conduction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidelectrical conduction

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The contact region is segmented from the wiring line by creating a distinct exposed area where insulating ink is prevented from reaching. This segmentation isolates the critical electrical connection zone from the potential harmful spread of insulating material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the substrate receive different treatments: the contact region is designed to remain exposed without insulating ink coverage, while other areas receive the insulating layer. This local differentiation ensures electrical connectivity is maintained where needed while providing insulation elsewhere.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the contact region is exposed to prevent ink coverage, then electrical conduction is maintained, but the wiring pattern becomes more complex with specific shapes required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical conductionVSAvoidwiring pattern complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The contact region is predetermined and prepared in advance during the wiring pattern formation step, before the insulating ink application. By pre-defining the exposed contact areas and designing the wiring pattern to naturally guide ink away, the need for complex additional structures is reduced.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The natural flow tendency of insulating ink is converted into a beneficial feature by designing the wiring pattern so that ink flow along the wiring lines actually helps define the boundary of the contact region, turning the potential harmful spread into a self-aligning mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Ease of manufacture

If insulating ink flows noticeably due to low viscosity, then the ink can be applied easily, but the ink spreads out of the desired printing pattern

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveink application easeVSAvoidprinting pattern accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The noticeable ink flow caused by low viscosity is converted into a beneficial self-aligning mechanism. The wiring pattern is designed to guide the ink flow along predetermined paths, so the ink naturally follows the wiring lines and stops at the contact region boundaries without requiring precise positioning control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The insulating ink's own flow properties are utilized to achieve the desired pattern formation. The low-viscosity ink self-regulates its spread along the wiring lines and naturally confines itself to appropriate areas, eliminating the need for additional control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach effectively prevents poor conduction by retaining insulating ink on the wiring pattern, maintaining electrical connectivity without increasing electric resistance.

Implementation Method 1

Since low-viscosity ink is used in flexographic printing or inkjet printing, the ink flows noticeably. This makes it necessary to exercise care not to allow the ink to spread out of a desired printing pattern due to the flow of the ink.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

c) a step of forming the insulating layer by hardening the insulating ink

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHardening: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentUS10499513B2Method for forming insulating layer, method for producing electronic device, and electronic device

Publication Date: 2019.12.03 JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS IND LTD

AI summary

By flexographic printing or inkjet printing, insulating ink is applied on a wiring pattern in accordance with a predetermined printing pattern. The insulating ink is hardened, whereby an insulating layer is formed. A contact region of the wiring pattern that is used for electrical connection with a conductor other than the wiring pattern is not covered with the insulating layer. The printing pattern is delimited by the outline of a non-printing region including the contact region. The wiring pattern includes, in the non-printing region, a trunk wiring line leading, to the contact region, from a position on the wiring pattern at which the wiring pattern overlaps with the outline and a branch wiring line extending from a point on at least one side of the trunk wiring line and terminating without making contact with the outline.