Connecting metal foils/wires at different layers in 3D printed substrates with wire spanning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10569464-B2
Application number	US-201715426344-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2017
Priority date	Feb 8, 2016
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

A three-dimensional electronic, biological, chemical, thermal management, or electromechanical apparatus and method of configuring such an apparatus. In an example embodiment, an apparatus can include a substrate and one or more layers of a three-dimensional structure configured on and/or from the substrate. The three-dimensional structure includes one or more internal cavities configured by an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system enhanced with a range of secondary embedding processes. The three-dimensional structure can be configured with one or more structural integrated metal objects spanning one or more of the internal cavities of the three-dimensional structure for enhanced electromagnetic properties.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a three-dimension-printed electronic, biological, chemical, thermal management, or electromechanical component/device, the method comprising:
creating at least one layer of a three-dimensional structure by depositing a substrate using extrusion-based additive manufacturing;
forming at least one internal cavity within the three-dimensional structure during additive manufacturing;
embedding at least one metal object into the three-dimensional structure, wherein the structural integrated metal object spans the internal cavity;
filling the internal cavity with a conductive ink; and
curing the conductive ink.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a three-dimension-printed thermoplastic substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one layer of the three-dimensional structure comprises a dielectric polymer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal object comprises a conductive wire.

5. A method of manufacturing a 3D-printed device, the method comprising:
forming a first substrate layer using additive manufacturing;
embedding a first metal object in a top surface of the first substrate layer;
forming a second substrate layer over the first substrate layer and first metal object using additive manufacturing, wherein the second substrate layer comprises a void exposing a portion of the first metal object;
embedding a second metal object in a top surface of the second substrate layer, wherein the second metal object spans the void in the second substrate layer;
filling the void in the second substrate layer with a conductive ink; and
curing the conductive ink, wherein the cured conductive ink provides a mechanical conductive connection between the first metal object and the second metal object.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising forming a third substrate layer over the second substrate layer and second metal object using additive manufacturing.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the third substrate layer provides restricted access for dispensing the conductive ink into the void and provides mechanical support to the cured conductive ink.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the substrate layers comprise a dielectric polymer.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising depressing a portion of the second metal object into the void below the top surface of the second substrate layer to shorten a conductive path between the first metal object and the second metal object through the conductive ink.

10. The method of claim 5 , further comprising depressing a portion of the second metal object into the void below the top surface of the second substrate layer to form a direct contact between the first metal object and the second metal object.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first metal object and second metal object comprise conductive wires.

12. The method of claim 5 , wherein the void in the second substrate layer is formed using micro-machining.

13. The method of claim 5 , wherein the void in the second substrate layer is formed using laser ablation.

14. A method of manufacturing a 3D-printed device, the method comprising:
forming a first dielectric layer using additive manufacturing;
embedding a first metal object in a top surface of the first dielectric layer;
forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer and first metal object using additive manufacturing,
forming a via through the second dielectric layer to expose a portion of the first metal object;
embedding a second metal object in a top surface of the second dielectric layer, wherein the second metal object spans the via;
forming a third dielectric layer over the second dielectric layer and second metal object using additive manufacturing;
filling the via with a conductive ink; and
curing the conductive ink, wherein the cured conductive ink provides a mechanical and conductive connection between the first metal object and the second metal object.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the third dielectric layer makes the via a choked via and provides mechanical support to the cured conductive ink.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising depressing a portion of the second metal object into the via below the top surface of the second dielectric layer to shorten a conductive path between the first metal object and the second metal object through the conductive ink.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising depressing a portion of the second metal object into the via below the top surface of the second dielectric layer to form a direct contact between the first metal object and the second metal object.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first metal object and second metal object comprise conductive wires.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the via is formed using laser ablation.

Assignees

• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Macdonald Eric
• Espalin David
• Varela Isaac
• Wicker Ryan

Classifications

• B29C70/882

  partly or totally electrically conductive, e.g. for EMI shielding (conductive floors or floor coverings H05F3/025; EMI shielding in general H05K9/00) · CPC title

• B29C2035/0838

  using laser · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B33Y10/00 Primary

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title