Tektronix, Inc.

The Whitaker Corporation

Robert Lee Beckman

Bruce Alan Barney

James Francis McIntire

Dan Alan Vance

Daniel B Smith

John J Reagan

Larry Duane Stopper

Carl W Laakso

Peggy J Parks

Nancy L Miller

A cable assembly (8, 80) including an electrical cable (10) having a flexible tubular jacket (12) and a reinforcing structure (14) attached to the outside of the jacket in a smooth sealing connection (30), and a method of using radio-frequency electrical energy, applied radially through the cable jacket (12) and the reinforcing structure (14), to make the connection (30). A shield conductor (26) inside the cable jacket (14) may be used as an RF electrode, with a second RF electrode (42, 44) circumscribing a portion of the cable (12) and the reinforcing structure (14) and shaping the outer surface of the connection. The RF energy may be used instead to activate an adhesive (108). An outer electrode (118) may be embedded in the reinforcing structure (116) in one variation of the invention.

Radio frequency heat sealing of cable assemblies

A pattern of conductive material is formed on a substrate of dielectric material. The substrate comprises a layer of flexible dielectric material having a layer of dimensionally-stable material adhered to one main face. The pattern is formed on the opposite main face of the layer of flexible dielectric material.

Fabrication of a multilayer conductive pattern on a dielectric substrate

A polyimide embedded conductor process assures adherence of a metal conductor to a polyimide layer and allows closer spacing between conductors. The conductor is laid on a sacrificial substrate, and then the polyimide layer is laid over the conductor and substrate. The substrate is etched away to expose the conductor, and the polyimide layer may be etched away from the conductor to form attachment tabs.

Polyimide embedded conductor process

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Beaverton, OR, United States of America

Robert Lee Beckman