Westinghouse Electric Corporation

David R King

Richard W Decker

Mark S Lee

David B Harris

Robert A Bourdelaise

Guy N Hurst

Both a system and method is provided for implementing a wiring change with respect to an electrical component detachably connected to a solderless PWB module. The system comprises at least one unused via on the PWB, an insulator used for electrically disconnecting a selected contact pad of the component from a contact pad disposed on the PWB, and a metallic strip mounted on a substrate for electrically connecting the selected component contact pad to the unused via. In one embodiment of the system, the substrate used to support the conductive strip is the compliant, insulative sheet material used in the interface that normally interconnects the pads of the electrical component with the pads of the PWB module. Alternatively, a separate 'smart' layer formed from a thin insulative sheet material may be used to support the conductive strip. The 'smart' layer has an array of conductive regions disposed through its thickness which maintains the contact between the pads of the PWB and the pads of the electrical component. However, when a change is desired, these conductive areas may be abraded off, and a copper strip connector may be provided on the surface of the 'smart' layer between the disconnected component contact pad and an unused via by conventional photo-resist techniques.

System and method for implementing wiring changes in a solderless

The invention is a fine line electrical cable with two ends having a plurality of first conductor lines in a plane. The lines of the cable are embedded in an insulating laminate material, are closely spaced at one end to be compatible with the closely spaced contacts from IC chips and are fanned out along the length of the cable to the other end where the lines are spaced somewhat apart and compatible with conventional electrical connectors. Contact posts extent from each line end so that external connections may be made with the IC chips and the conventional connectors. At least one second conductor line may be embedded within the other side of the laminate material and appropriate contact posts extend from the line ends so that external connections may also be made at these locations. A method for fabricating the fine line elecrical cable is also disclosed.

Ultra fine line cable and a method for fabricating the same

A printed circuit board is described in which an electrically insulating laminate material (40) has first and second sides. An electrically conducting first circuit pattern (15) is embedded in the first side of the laminate material (40), and an electrically conducting second circuit pattern (20) is embedded in the second side of the laminate material (40) electrically insulated from the first circuit pattern (15) by the laminate material (40). A solid interconnection member (20) extends through the laminate material (40) and electrically contacts both the first and second circuit patterns (15,20) at selected locations thereof. The method for fabricating the board includes as a first step the fabrication of a first board panel (10) having a raised electrically conducting first circuit pattern (15) extending from a base layer (14) of conductive material and a raised electrically conducting second circuit pattern (20) extending from the first circuit pattern (15). A second board panel (30) is also fabricated, having a raised electrically conducting third circuit pattern (35) extending from another base layer (34) of conductive material. The first board panel (10) is laminated to the second board panel (30) with a laminate insulating material (40) disposed therebetween electrically insulating the first circuit pattern (15) from the third circuit pattern (35) and with the second circuit pattern (20) electrically contacting the first circuit pattern (15) at selected portions thereof. Finally, the base layers (14,34) of conductive material are removed from the laminate insulating material (40).

Printed circuit boards and method for manufacturing printed circuit

A printed circuit board is described in which an electrically insulating laminate material has first and second sides. An electrically conducting first circuit pattern is embedded in the first side of the laminate material, and an electrically conducting second circuit pattern is embedded in the second side of the laminate material electrically insulated from the first circuit pattern by the laminate material. A solid interconnection member extends through the laminate material and electrically contacts both the first and second circuit patterns at selected locations thereof. The method for fabricating the board includes as a first step the fabrication of a first board panel having a raised electrically conducting first circuit pattern extending from a base layer of conductive material. A second board panel is also fabricated, having a raised electrically conducting second circuit pattern extending from a its base layer of conductive material and a raised electrically conducting third circuit pattern extending from the second circuit pattern. The first board panel is laminated to the second board panel with a laminate insulating material disposed therebetween electrically insulating the first circuit pattern from the second circuit pattern and with the third circuit pattern electrically contacting the first circuit pattern at selected portions thereof. Finally, the base layers of conductive material are removed from the laminate insulating material.

Growing community of inventors

Catonsville, MD, United States of America

David R King