Conductive trace interconnection tape

Abstract

A conductive trace interconnect tape for use with a printed circuit board or a flexible circuit substrate comprises a top insulating layer, an electrically conductive layer, and a bottom insulating layer. The top insulating layer is formed from electrically insulating material and is configured to provide electrical isolation from electrically conductive objects that are positioned on top of the conductive trace interconnect tape. The electrically conductive layer is positioned underneath the top insulating layer. The electrically conductive layer is formed from electrically conductive material and includes electrical interconnect traces, electrical component pads, or electrically conductive planar portions. The bottom insulating layer is positioned underneath the electrically conductive layer. The bottom insulating layer is formed from electrically insulating material and is configured to provide electrical isolation from electrically conductive objects that are positioned on the printed circuit board or flexible circuit substrate.

Having thus described various embodiments of the technology, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following: 
     
         1 . A conductive trace interconnect tape for use with a printed circuit board or a flexible circuit substrate, the conductive trace interconnect tape comprising:
 a top insulating layer formed from electrically insulating material and configured to provide electrical isolation from electrically conductive objects that are positioned on top of the conductive trace interconnect tape, the top insulating layer having a length greater than a width;   a bottom insulating layer positioned underneath the top insulating layer, the bottom insulating layer formed from electrically insulating material and configured to provide electrical isolation from electrically conductive objects that are positioned on the printed circuit board or flexible circuit substrate, the bottom insulating layer having a length greater than a width; and   an electrically conductive layer positioned between the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer, the electrically conductive layer formed from electrically conductive material and including a plurality of multi-segment electrical interconnect traces, each multi-segment electrical interconnect trace including a first end segment, a spaced apart second end segment, and a central segment electrically connected to the first end segment and the second end segment, the central segment oriented along the lengths of the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer, and the first end segment and the second end segment each extending from a side edge of the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer.   
     
     
         2 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 1 , wherein the top insulating layer includes a plurality of first perforations spaced apart from one another and oriented along the width and transverse to the length, each of the first perforations including a series of linearly-aligned through holes in the top insulating layer, and the bottom insulating layer includes a plurality of second perforations spaced apart from one another and oriented along the width and transverse to the length, each of the second perforations including a series of linearly-aligned through holes in the bottom insulating layer. 
     
     
         3 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 2 , wherein each first perforations and each second perforations are positioned between the second end segment of a first multi-segment electrical interconnect trace and the first end segment of a second electrical interconnect trace. 
     
     
         4 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first end segment and the second end segment extends from the side edge of the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer at a roughly 90-degree angle. 
     
     
         5 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 1 , wherein the first end segment extends from a first side edge of the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer, and the second end segment extends from a second side edge of the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer. 
     
     
         6 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 1 , wherein the first end segment and the second end segment each extend from a same side edge of the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer. 
     
     
         7 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 1 , further comprising a top adhesive layer that bonds a lower surface of the top insulating layer to an upper surface of the electrically conductive layer and an upper surface of the bottom insulating layer. 
     
     
         8 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 1 , further comprising a bottom adhesive layer that bonds a lower surface of the bottom insulating layer to a surface of the printed circuit board or flexible circuit substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 1 , further comprising a middle adhesive layer that bonds a lower surface of the electrically conductive layer to an upper surface of the bottom insulating layer. 
     
     
         10 . A conductive trace interconnect tape for use with a printed circuit board or a flexible circuit substrate, the conductive trace interconnect tape comprising:
 a top insulating layer formed from electrically insulating material and configured to provide electrical isolation from electrically conductive objects that are positioned on top of the conductive trace interconnect tape, the top insulating layer having a length greater than a width;   a bottom insulating layer positioned underneath the top insulating layer, the bottom insulating layer formed from electrically insulating material and configured to provide electrical isolation from electrically conductive objects that are positioned on the printed circuit board or flexible circuit substrate, the bottom insulating layer having a length greater than a width; and   an electrically conductive layer positioned between the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer, the electrically conductive layer formed from electrically conductive material and including a plurality of multi-segment electrical interconnect traces, each multi-segment electrical interconnect trace including a first end segment, a second end segment spaced apart from the first end segment along the length of the top and bottom insulating layers, and a central segment electrically connected to the first end segment and the second end segment at a roughly 90-degree angle, the central segment oriented along the lengths of the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer, and the first end segment extending from a first side edge of the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer at a roughly 90-degree angle and the second end segment extending from a second side edge of the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer at a roughly 90-degree angle.   
     
     
         11 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 10 , further comprising a top adhesive layer that bonds a lower surface of the top insulating layer to an upper surface of the electrically conductive layer and an upper surface of the bottom insulating layer. 
     
     
         12 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 10 , further comprising a bottom adhesive layer that bonds a lower surface of the bottom insulating layer to a surface of the printed circuit board or flexible circuit substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 10 , further comprising a middle adhesive layer that bonds a lower surface of the electrically conductive layer to an upper surface of the bottom insulating layer. 
     
     
         14 . A conductive trace interconnect tape for use with a printed circuit board or a flexible circuit substrate, the conductive trace interconnect tape comprising:
 a top insulating layer formed from electrically insulating material and configured to provide electrical isolation from electrically conductive objects that are positioned on top of the conductive trace interconnect tape, the top insulating layer having a length greater than a width;   a bottom insulating layer positioned underneath the top insulating layer, the bottom insulating layer formed from electrically insulating material and configured to provide electrical isolation from electrically conductive objects that are positioned on the printed circuit board or flexible circuit substrate, the bottom insulating layer having a length greater than a width; and   an electrically conductive layer positioned between the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer, the electrically conductive layer formed from electrically conductive material and including a plurality of multi-segment electrical interconnect traces, each multi-segment electrical interconnect trace including a first end segment, a second end segment spaced apart from the first end segment along the length of the top and bottom insulating layers, and a central segment electrically connected to the first end segment and the second end segment at a roughly 90-degree angle, the central segment oriented along the lengths of the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer, and the first end segment and the second end segment each extending from a same side edge of the top insulating layer and the bottom insulating layer at a roughly 90-degree angle.   
     
     
         15 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 14 , further comprising a top adhesive layer that bonds a lower surface of the top insulating layer to an upper surface of the electrically conductive layer and an upper surface of the bottom insulating layer. 
     
     
         16 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 14 , further comprising a bottom adhesive layer that bonds a lower surface of the bottom insulating layer to a surface of the printed circuit board or flexible circuit substrate. 
     
     
         17 . The conductive trace interconnect tape of  claim 14 , further comprising a middle adhesive layer that bonds a lower surface of the electrically conductive layer to an upper surface of the bottom insulating layer.