Search

EP-4739508-A1 - INTERCONNECT CIRCUIT FOR PRINT COMPONENT

EP4739508A1EP 4739508 A1EP4739508 A1EP 4739508A1EP-4739508-A1

Abstract

An interconnect circuit (140) may include a connective routing including metal traces (132), electrical interconnect pads (142), and contacts (146), where each metal trace is to electrically connect an electrical interconnect pad on a first portion (141) of the flexible circuit to a contact on a second portion (147) of the flexible circuit, the contact to connect to a fluid ejection die (131), and a metal structure (143a, 143b) located between, and distanced from, the electrical interconnect pad and the contact, the metal structure electrically insulated from the routing, the metal structure to increase a stiffness of at least a portion of the flexible circuit.

Inventors

  • QUINN, MAX
  • BAHNSEN, Kyle
  • SCHWEITZER, PAUL
  • MCCOURT, Zachary T.
  • STUMBO, Samuel
  • BENSON, DAVID J.

Assignees

  • Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230703

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A flexible circuit for a fluid ejection assembly comprising: a connective routing comprising metal traces, electrical interconnect pads, and contacts, wherein each metal trace is to electrically connect an electrical interconnect pad on a first portion of the flexible circuit to a contact on a second portion of the flexible circuit, the contact to connect to a fluid ejection die; and a metal structure located between, and distanced from, the electrical interconnect pad and the contact, the metal structure electrically insulated from the routing, the metal structure to increase a stiffness of at least a portion of the flexible circuit.
  2. 2. The flexible circuit of claim 1, further comprising a substrate and a protect layer at opposite sides of the routing, wherein at least a portion of the metal structure extends between the substrate and the protect layer, and/or in the same layer as the routing.
  3. 3. The flexible circuit of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the metal trace includes a first segment connecting the electrical interconnect pad to the contact, and a second segment extending beyond the contact to increase the stiffness of the flexible circuit.
  4. 4. The flexible circuit of any of claims 1-3, wherein the contact extends between the first and second segment and there is a turn in the trace adjacent the contact.
  5. 5. The flexible circuit of any of claims 1-4, wherein at least a portion of the first and second segments extends between a substrate of the flexible circuit and the protect layer, whereas the contact is exposed.
  6. 6. The flexible circuit of any of claims 1-5, wherein the first segment and the second segment are perpendicular and/or parallel to each other.
  7. 7. The flexible circuit of any of claims 1-6, wherein the metal trace includes a gusset connecting the first segment and the second segment and/or adjacent the contact and/or in the second segment.
  8. 8. The flexible circuit of any of claims 1-7, wherein the metal trace, the electrical interconnect pad, and the contact have a same height and/or are part of a same routing layer.
  9. 9. The flexible circuit of any of claims 1-8, further comprising: a metal plating over the electrical interconnect pad, the metal trace, and the contact; and a protective layer over a portion of the metal plating.
  10. 10. The flexible circuit of any of claims 1-9, wherein the flexible circuit includes a hole to facilitate alignment.
  11. 11. A fluid ejection device assembly comprising: the flexible circuit of any of claims 1-10; and the fluid ejection die at a bottom of the fluid ejection device assembly, wherein the electrical interconnect pads of the flexible circuit extend along a front of the fluid ejection device assembly, wherein the one or more metal traces extend along, and curve between, the front and bottom of the fluid ejection device assembly to connect to the fluid ejection die, and wherein the metal structure is provided at the front of the fluid ejection device assembly beneath the interconnect pads.
  12. 12. An interconnect circuit to connect an integrated circuit of a print component to a printer controller, the interconnect circuit comprising: a thin substrate and connective routing supported by the substrate, the connective routing comprising metal traces, electrical interconnect pads and contacts; and a protective layer to protect at least a portion of the routing, wherein each metal trace is to electrically connect an electrical interconnect pad on a first portion of the flexible substrate to a contact on a second portion of the flexible substrate, the interconnect pad to connect to the printer and the contact to connect to a fluid ejection die, wherein at least one metal trace of the metal traces includes a first segment in the first and second portion, between the interconnect pad and contact, and a second segment that extends beyond the contact, in the second portion, and wherein the interconnect pads and contacts are exposed from the protective layer to facilitate connection to printer and die, respectively.
  13. 13. The interconnect circuit of claim 12, further comprising a metal structure located between, and distanced from, the electrical interconnect pads and the contacts, the metal structure electrically insulated from the connective routing, the metal structure to increase a stiffness of at least a portion of the flexible circuit.
  14. 14. A flexible circuit for a fluid ejection assembly comprising: a flexible substrate; a connective routing over the substrate, the connective routing comprising metal traces, electrical interconnect pads, and contacts, wherein each metal trace is to electrically connect an electrical interconnect pad on a first portion of the flexible circuit to a contact on a second portion of the flexible circuit, wherein each electrical interconnect pad is to connect to a corresponding printer contact, and wherein each contact is to connect to a fluid ejection die; a metal plating over the electrical interconnect pads, the metal traces, and the contacts; and a protective layer over a portion of the metal plating.
  15. 15. The flexible circuit of claim 14, wherein the electrical interconnect pads, the contacts, and the metal traces have a same height.
  16. 16. The flexible circuit of claim 14 or claim 15, wherein at least one metal trace of the metal traces includes a first segment connecting the electrical interconnect pad to the contact, and a second segment extending beyond the contact to increase the stiffness of the flexible circuit.
  17. 17. The flexible circuit of any of claims 14-16, wherein at least a portion of the second segment extends between a substrate of the flexible circuit and the protect layer.
  18. 18. The flexible circuit of any of claims 14-17, wherein the first segment and the second segment are perpendicular and/or parallel to each other.
  19. 19. The flexible circuit of any of claims 14-18, wherein at least one metal trace of the metal traces includes a triangular gusset connecting the first segment and the second segment, and/or adjacent the contact and/or in the second segment.
  20. 20. The flexible circuit of any of claims 14-19, wherein the flexible circuit includes a hole for aligning the flexible circuit for attachment to a fluid ejection device assembly, the hole positioned adjacent the interconnect pads.

Description

INTERCONNECT CIRCUIT FOR PRINT COMPONENT BACKGROUND [0001] Inkjet printing involves depositing ink onto a surface, such as sheet of paper. Print fluid can be stored in a print fluid reservoir until it is used for printing. Print dies may dispense the print fluid for printing. An interconnect circuit may interface with a printer control interface and the print dies. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0002] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example print component. [0003] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the print component of FIG. 1. [0004] FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of the print component of FIG. 1. [0005] FIG. 4 illustrates a fluidic structure assembly including the fluidic structure, the fluid ejection device, and the interconnect circuit, as used in FIG. 1. [0006] FIG. 5 illustrates the interconnect circuit of FIG. 1. [0007] FIG. 6 illustrates an example fluidic structure assembly including a fluidic structure, a print component having one fluid ejection die, and an interconnect circuit. [0008] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an example interconnect circuit. [0009] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an example print component. [0010] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of an example print component including at least one bond. [0011] FIG. 10 illustrates the contact pads on a north portion of the interconnect circuit of FIG. 1. [0012] FIG. 11 illustrates the contact pads on a north portion of the interconnect circuit of FIG. 6. [0013] FIG. 12 illustrates example bond wires to connect contact pads to fluid ejection dies. [0014] FIG. 13 illustrates the interconnect circuit of FIG. 6 attached to a molded body. [0015] FIG. 14 illustrates a portion of the interconnect circuit of FIG. 1 including the tooling hole. [0016] FIG. 15 illustrates a cross-section of an example interconnect circuit. [0017] FIG. 16 illustrates an exploded view of the fluidic structure assembly of FIG. 6. [0018] FIG. 17 illustrates an exploded view of the fluidic structure assembly of FIG. 1. [0019] FIG. 18 is a block diagram of an example interconnect circuit. [0020] FIG. 19 is a block diagram of an example fluid ejection device assembly including the interconnect circuit of FIG. 18. [0021] FIG. 20 is a block diagram of an example interconnect circuit. [0022] FIG. 21 is a block diagram of an example flexible circuit including a metal plating and a protective layer. [0023] FIG. 22 illustrates the south end of the fluidic structure assembly of FIG. 4. [0024] FIG. 23 illustrates a close-up of a portion of FIG. 22. [0025] FIG. 24 illustrates the north end of the fluidic structure assembly of FIG. 4. [0026] FIG. 25 illustrates a close-up of a portion of FIG. 24. [0027] FIG. 26 is a block diagram of an example interconnect circuit. [0028] The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several examples in accordance with the disclosure and are therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0029] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative examples described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and made part of this disclosure. [0030] This disclosure relates to print components. A print component may be any component for print systems, such as an exchangeable print cartridge, or a component of a cartridge such as a fluid ejection device (e.g., printhead) or other integrated circuit associated with a cartridge. A print component may include a print component for dispensing print fluid and a reservoir for storing the print fluid. The print fluid may include any 2D or 3D print agent including ink for printing on a medium such as paper (2D) or (e.g., powdered) build material (3D). The print fluid may include dispensable fluid to be dispensed at relatively high precision (as to volume and/or location) for fields of implementation other that 2D or 3D imaging, including but not limited to forensic, laboratory or pharmaceutical applications. [0031] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example print component 100. The print component 100 may be a fluid ejection device as