METHOD OF ENHANCING ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS IN 3D-PRINTED OBJECTS

Abstract

There is provided an electrical arrangement (100), comprising at least one electrical unit (110), which in its turn comprises electrical element(s) (120) with electrical contact point(s) (130a, 130b) and electrically conductive track(s) (140a, 140b) arranged in contact with the electrical contact point(s) of the electrical element(s). The electrical arrangement further comprises a substrate (145), N for supporting the electrical unit, and component(s) (120) for connecting portions of the substrate. The material of the component(s) is resizable upon processing of the material, such that, upon processing of the component(s), at least one of the electrical element(s) and the electrically conductive track(s) of the electrical unit(s) are squeezed at the respective electrical contact point by the first and second portions of the substrate biased by the force from the component(s).

Claims

1. A method of producing an electrical arrangement, wherein the method comprises the steps of: printing, by a 3D-printing process, a first portion of a substrate, wherein the first portion of the substrate is arranged to support at least one electrical element, providing at least one first part of at least one component at least partially within the first portion, wherein the at least one component comprises a material that is contractible upon processing of the material, arranging at least one electrical element, comprising at least one electrical contact point, at least partially within the first portion of the substrate, printing, by a 3D-printing process, at least one electrically conductive track arranged in contact with the at least one electrical contact point of the at least one electrical element, printing, by a 3D-printing process, a second portion of a substrate, and arranging the second portion at least partially upon the at least one electrically conductive track, providing at least one second part of the at least one component at least partially within the second portion, connecting the first and second parts of the at least one component, and processing the at least one component such that the at least one electrical element and the at least one electrically conductive track are squeezed at the respective electrical contact point by the first and second portions biased by a force resulting from the contraction of the material of the at least one component.

2. A method of producing an electrical arrangement, wherein the method comprises the steps of: printing, by a 3D-printing process, a first portion of a substrate, wherein the first portion of the substrate is arranged to support at least one electrical element, arranging at least one electrical element, comprising at least one electrical contact point, at least partially within the first portion of the substrate, printing, by a 3D-printing process, at least one electrically conductive track arranged in contact with the at least one electrical contact point of the at least one electrical element, arranging at least one component at least partially upon the at least one electrical element, wherein the at least one component comprises a material that is expandable upon processing of the material, printing, by a 3D-printing process, a second portion of a substrate, and arranging the second portion at least partially upon the at least one component, arranging the first and second portions such that upon processing the at least one component the first and second portions become biased by a force resulting from the expansion of the material of the at least one component, and processing the at least one component such that the at least one electrical element and the at least one electrically conductive track are squeezed at the respective electrical contact point by the first and second portions biased by the force resulting from the expansion of the material of the at least one component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of processing the at least one component comprises at least one of a cooling of the at least one component, and a polymerization of the at least one component.

4. An electrical arrangement obtainable by the method of claim 1, wherein the electrical arrangement comprises: at least one electrical unit, a substrate supporting the at least one electrical unit, wherein the substrate comprises a first portion and a second portion arranged on opposite sides, respectively, of the at least one electrical unit, and at least one component for connecting the first portion and the second portion, wherein the at least one electrical unit comprises at least one electrical element having at least one electrical contact point, and at least one electrically conductive track contacting the at least one electrical contact point, wherein the at least one component comprises a material that is obtainable by processing a resizable material, wherein, either the at least one component is in contact with the first portion and the second portion, and the material of the component is obtainable by processing a contractible material, or the at least one component is in contact with the at least one electrical unit, and with at least one of the first portion and the second portion, and the material of the component is obtainable by processing an expandable material, such that at least one of the at least one electrical element and the at least one electrically conductive track are squeezed at the respective electrical contact point by the first portion and the second portion biased by a force from the at least one component, wherein the force is obtainable by processing the resizeable material.

5. The electrical arrangement of claim 4, wherein the resizable material is contractible.

6. The electrical arrangement of claim 5, wherein the substrate comprises a first material having at least one of a first melting temperature (T.sub.m1) and a first glass transition temperature (T.sub.g1), and the at least one component comprises a second material having at least one of a second melting temperature (T.sub.m2) and a second glass transition temperature (T.sub.g2), wherein T.sub.m1>T.sub.m2, T.sub.m1>T.sub.g2, T.sub.g1>T.sub.m2 and T.sub.g1>T.sub.g2.

7. The electrical arrangement of claim 5, wherein the first and second portions are arranged along an axis (z), and wherein, for each electrical unit, at least one component is provided adjacent the electrical unit along an axis (x) perpendicular to the first axis (z).

8. The electrical arrangement of claim 7, wherein only one component is provided adjacent each electrical unit.

9. The electrical arrangement of claim 7, wherein at least one component is provided adjacent each electrical unit and on either side of each electrical unit.

10. The electrical arrangement of claim 7, wherein at least one of the at least one component protrudes the substrate and has the shape of a barbell, arranged to squeeze the first and second portions of the substrate.

11. The electrical arrangement of claim 7, wherein at least one of the at least one component is shaped as a staple which is arranged to squeeze the first and second portions of the substrate.

12. The electrical arrangement of claim 4, wherein the material of the at least one component is expandable.

13. A 3D-printing apparatus, comprising a first printing material, a second printing material, and at least one printer head, configured to deposit the first printing material and the second printing material, wherein the at least one printer head is configured to construct the substrate of the electrical arrangement of claim 4 by depositing at least a portion of the first printing material, and wherein the at least one printer head is configured to construct the at least one component of the electrical arrangement by depositing at least a portion of the second printing material, and wherein the second material of the at least one component is resizeable upon processing of the second material, such that upon a processing of the substrate and the at least one component, the at least one component is configured to resize to a higher extent than the substrate.

14. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when the computer program product is executed by the 3D printing apparatus according to claim 13, cause the 3D printing apparatus to carry out the method.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] This and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the appended drawings showing embodiment(s) of the invention.

[0034] FIGS. 1a and 1b are schematic views of electrical arrangements according to exemplifying embodiments of the present invention,

[0035] FIGS. 2a-g are schematic views of electrical arrangements according to exemplifying embodiments of the present invention,

[0036] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of elements of a 3D-printing apparatus according to an exemplifying embodiment of the present invention,

[0037] FIGS. 4a-g are schematic views of electrical arrangements according to exemplifying embodiments of the present invention, and

[0038] FIGS. 5a-f and 6a-f are schematic views of methods according to exemplifying embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] FIG. 1a is a schematic view of an electrical arrangement 100. The electrical arrangement 100 comprises an electrical unit 110, which in its turn comprises an electrical element 120. For example, the electrical element 120 may be a solid state light source, e.g. a light emitting diode (LED), a laser diode, and/or an organic light emitting diode (OLED). The electrical element 120 may also constitute a plurality of solid state light sources arranged on a carrier, e.g. a printed circuit board (PCB). The electrical element 120 may alternatively be a sensor such as a temperature sensor, an optical sensor, a humidity sensor, or the like. The electrical element 120 may alternatively be a photo voltaic cell or a battery.

[0040] The electrical unit 110 comprises two electrical contact points 130a, 130b and two electrically conductive tracks 140a, 140b arranged in contact with the respective electrical contact point 130a, 130b. The electrically conductive tracks 140a, 140b may, for example, comprise one or more wires, metal (e.g. copper), aluminum graphite tracks on a foil, etc.

[0041] The electrical arrangement 100 further comprises a substrate arranged to support the electrical unit 110. The substrate, which may be 3D-printed (i.e. comprising a printing material such as a polymer), comprises first 150 and second 160 portions arranged on opposite sides, respectively, of the electrical unit 110. Here, the first 150 and second 160 portions are arranged along a vertical axis z, wherein the first portion 150 is arranged below the electrical unit 110, and the second portion 160 is arranged on top of the electrical unit 110. A respective component 200 of a resizable material is provided adjacent and on either side of the electrical unit 110 along an axis x perpendicular to the vertical axis z. The components 200 are integrated into the first 150 and second 160 portions of the substrate 145. Here, the components 200 have the shape of a barbell, wherein the larger end portions are integrated into the first 150 and second 160 portions of the substrate 145.

[0042] In this embodiment of the electrical arrangement 100, the resizable material of the component 200 is contractible (shrinkable) upon processing of the material. The processing may include a cooling of the of the material of the component 200. Alternatively, in case the component material is a polymer, the processing may include a polymerization of the material of the component 200. Whereas the substrate may comprise a first material having a first glass transition temperature, T.sub.g1, the component 200 may comprise a second material having a second glass transition temperature T.sub.g2, wherein T.sub.g1>T.sub.g2 and/or T.sub.m1>T.sub.m2. More specifically, in case the second material is an amorphous polymer and the substrate is an amorphous polymer, the relationship between the first and second glass transition temperatures may be T.sub.g1>T.sub.g2. In case the second material is an amorphous polymer and the substrate is a semi-crystalline polymer, the relationship between the melting temperature of the first material and the second glass transition temperature may be T.sub.m1>T.sub.g2. Furthermore, in case the second material is a crystalline polymer and the substrate is an amorphous polymer, the relationship between the first glass transition temperature and the melting temperature of the second material may be T.sub.g1>T.sub.m2. In case the second material is a crystalline polymer and the substrate is a semi-crystalline polymer, the relationship between the melting temperatures of the first and second materials may be T.sub.m1>T.sub.m2. The first material may comprise one or more materials selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate (PC), polysulfone (PSU), polyphenylen sulfide (PPS), high 83C modified polycarbonate copolymer (APEC-1895 Coestro), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), crystalline polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and polyether ether ketone (PEEK). The second material may comprise one or more materials selected from the group consisting of amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA, polystyrene (PS), styrene methylmethacrylate, methylmethacrylate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (MABS), and styrenic block copolymer (SBC).

[0043] Consequently, upon processing of the component(s) 200, the electrical element 120 and the electrically conductive track 140a, 140b of the electrical unit 110 are squeezed at the respective electrical contact point 130a, 130b by the first 150 and second 160 portions biased by the force from the component(s) 200. Hence, there is a resulting pressure P from the first 150 and second 160 portions of the substrate 145, resulting in a more reliable electrical connection of the electrical unit 110.

[0044] FIG. 1b is a schematic view of an electrical arrangement 100 similar to that shown in FIG. 1a. It will be appreciated that the first 150 and second 160 portions of the substrate may be mechanically connected (not shown). Here, in contrast to FIG. 1a, the component 200 is expandable, such that the pressure P is induced onto the first 150 and second 160 portions of the substrate 145 from the component 200. Consequently, a more reliable electrical connection of the electrical unit 110 is achieved. It will be appreciated that the process for expanding the component 200 may comprise a swelling of the (polymeric) material of the component 200. Alternatively, the process for expanding the component 200 may comprise thermally expanding the material of the component 200. Hence, the material of the component 200 may comprise a rubber material which can expand (swell), e.g. by adding a polymerizable monomer into the material which can be polymerized in situ to permanently fix the expanded component 200.

[0045] FIGS. 2a-2g show embodiments of electrical arrangements 100 comprising alternative structures to the electrical arrangement 100 of FIG. 1a, wherein the resizable component 200 is shrinkable (contractible). For simplicity, some references have been omitted, and it is referred to FIG. 1a.

[0046] According to the example of the electrical arrangement 100 in FIG. 2a, only one component 200 is provided adjacent the electrical unit 110. In FIG. 2b, a component 200a is provided adjacent the electrical unit 110 and on the left hand side of the electrical unit 110, whereas a component 200b is provided adjacent the electrical unit 110 and on the right hand side of the electrical unit 110. Furthermore, in FIG. 2c, four components 200a-d are provided, wherein two components thereof are arranged on either side of the electrical unit 110.

[0047] In FIG. 2d, there are provided two barbell-shaped components 200a, 200b, arranged on either side of the electrical unit, wherein the components 200a, 200b protrude the substrate. In FIG. 2e, two components 200a, 200b are shaped as a staples and are arranged on peripheral side portions of the electrical arrangement. The components 200a, 200b are hereby arranged to squeeze the first and second portions of the substrate. Furthermore, the component 200 may have the form of a band, as exemplified in FIG. 2f. As yet another alternative, there may be a plurality of components 200 shaped as ribs, as shown in FIG. 2g.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of elements of a 3D-printing apparatus 300. The 3D-printing apparatus comprises a first printing material 310 and a first printer head 320, configured to deposit the first printing material 310. Analogously, there is provided a second printing material 330 and a second printer head 340, configured to deposit the second printing material 330. The first printer head 320 is configured to construct the substrate of the electrical arrangement of any one of the previously described embodiments by depositing at least a portion of the first printing material 310. The second printer head 340 is configured to construct the component(s) of the electrical arrangement of any one the previously described embodiments wherein the component material is shrinkable, by depositing at least a portion of the second printing material 330. It will be appreciated that it is also possible to use a single printer head being configured to print the first and the second printing material from the same printer head. The material 330 of the at least one component is contractible upon processing of the second material, such that upon a processing of the substrate and the at least one component, the at least one component is configured to contract to a higher extent than the substrate. It will be appreciated that the processing may include a cooling of the of the material of the component and/or a polymerization of the material of the component.

[0049] FIGS. 4a-4g show schematic views of embodiments of the electrical arrangement 100 of FIG. 1b, wherein the component 200 is expandable. In FIG. 4a, only one component 200 is provided, formed as a rectangular parallelepiped (i.e. brick-shaped component 200), wherein the component 200 overlaps both contact points 130a, 130b. In FIG. 4b, there are provided two components 200a, 200b, arranged on top of the respective contact point 130a, 130b. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4c, there are provided four components 200a-d.

[0050] It will be appreciated that the expandable component 200 may have various designs and/or shapes. For example, the component 200 may have the shape of a bar (FIG. 4d), an oval (FIG. 4e), or a polygon (FIG. 4f). Furthermore, the expandable component 200 may comprise multiple ribs (FIG. 4g).

[0051] FIGS. 5a-f schematically show a method 500 of producing an electrical arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] In FIG. 5a, the method 500 comprises printing 510 a first portion 150 of a substrate by a 3D-printing process, wherein the first portion 150 of the substrate is arranged to support at least one electrical element. The method 500 further comprises providing 520 at least one first part of at least one contractible component 200 at least partially within the first portion 150.

[0053] Furthermore, according to FIGS. 5a and 5b, the method 500 comprises arranging 530 an electrical element 120, comprising two electrical contact points 130a, 130b, at least partially within the first portion 150 of the substrate.

[0054] Shown in FIG. 5c, the method 500 further comprises printing 540, by a 3D-printing process, two electrically conductive tracks 140a, 140b arranged in contact with the respective electrical contact point 130a, 130b of the electrical element 120.

[0055] According to FIGS. 5d and 5e, the method 500 furthermore comprises printing 550 a second portion 160 of a substrate by a 3D-printing process, and arranging the second portion 160 at least partially upon the electrically conductive tracks 140a, 140b. The method 500 further comprises providing 560 a second part of the component 200 at least partially within the second portion 160, and connecting 570 the first and second parts of the component 200.

[0056] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5f, the method 500 further comprises processing 580 the contractible component 200 such that the electrical element 120 and the electrically conductive tracks 140a, 140b of the electrical unit 110 are squeezed at the respective electrical contact point 130a, 130b by the first 150 and second 160 portions of the substrate biased by the force from the component 200.

[0057] FIGS. 6a-f show, in a schematic manner, a method 600 of producing an electrical arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to FG. 6a, the method 600 comprises printing 610 a first portion 150 of a substrate by a 3D-printing process, wherein the first portion 150 of the substrate is arranged to support an electrical element. The method 600 further comprises arranging 620 an electrical element 120, comprising two electrical contact points 130a, 130b, at least partially within the first portion 150 of the substrate, shown in FIG. 6b.

[0058] Furthermore, according to FIG. 6c, the method comprises printing 630, by a 3D-printing process, two electrically conductive tracks 140a, 140b arranged in contact with the two electrical contact points 130a, 130b of the electrical element 120. Furthermore, shown in FIG. 6d, the method 600 comprises the step of arranging 640 an expandable component 120 at least partially upon the electrical element 120.

[0059] According to FIG. 6e, the method 600 further comprises the step of printing 650 a second portion 160 of a substrate by a 3D-printing process, and arranging the second portion 160 at least partially upon the component 120.

[0060] Moreover, shown in FIG. 6f, the method 600 comprises processing 660 the component 120 such that the electrical element 120 and the electrically conductive tracks 140a, 140b of the electrical unit 110 are squeezed at the respective electrical contact point 130a, 130b by the first 150 and second 160 portions biased by the force from the component 120. It will be appreciated that the first 150 and second 160 portions of the substrate may be mechanically connected (not shown).

[0061] The person skilled in the art realizes that the present invention by no means is limited to the preferred embodiments described above. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For example, it will be appreciated that the figures are merely schematic views of electrical arrangements according to embodiments of the present invention. Hence, any elements/components of the electrical arrangements 100 such as the component(s) 200, the substrate, etc., may have different dimensions, shapes and/or sizes than those depicted and/or described.