Self-adhesive flexible repair circuit

Abstract

A self-adhesive flexible circuit for printed circuit assembly repair is provided. The flexible circuit comprises a carrier film, a circuit trace and an adhesive. The flexible circuit is placeable on a printed circuit board having a circuit assembly and allows simple repair of boards not designed or manufactured correctly and which contain undesirable short or open circuits or misrouted traces. The flexible circuit allows for placement in a desired location, adherence to the circuit board using its own adhesive. The flexible circuit can then be electrically attached, i.e. solder or conductively adhered, to the board.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of repairing a printed circuit assembly on a printed circuit board by attaching a flexible circuit to said circuit board, where said flexible circuit comprises a carrier film top layer, at least one circuit trace attached to said carrier film and an adhesive applied to said circuit trace, said method comprising the steps of: 
 placing said flexible circuit on said circuit board;    pressurizing said adhesive whereby said adhesive causes adherence between said circuit board and said circuit trace; and    electrically attaching said at least one circuit trace to said circuit board.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of electrically attaching said at least one circuit trace to said circuit assembly comprises soldering said circuit trace to an electrical connection on said circuit assembly.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said flexible circuit has a length and a width and said circuit trace extends beyond the length of said flexible circuit.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of electrically attaching said at least one circuit trace to said circuit assembly comprises applying an electrically conductive adhesive.  
     
     
         5 . A flexible circuit for repair of a printed circuit assembly, comprising: 
 a carrier film top layer,    a circuit trace middle layer, and    an adhesion bottom layer.    
     
     
         6 . The flexible circuit of  claim 5  where said circuit trace middle layer comprises at least one circuit trace.  
     
     
         7 . The flexible circuit of  claim 6  where said adhesion bottom layer is a pressure sensitive adhesive.  
     
     
         8 . The flexible circuit of  claim 7  where said carrier film top layer is Kapton.  
     
     
         9 . The flexible circuit of  claim 8  where said pressure sensitive adhesive is 3M VHB adhesive.  
     
     
         10 . A flexible circuit for repairing defects in a circuit assembly on a printed circuit board, said flexible circuit comprising: 
 a carrier film having a predetermined shape,    at least one circuit trace attached to said carrier film, and    an adhesive applied to said circuit trace and said carrier film.    
     
     
         11 . The flexible circuit of  claim 10 , where said carrier film comprises a rectangular shape having a fixed length.  
     
     
         12 . The flexible circuit of  claim 11 , where said at least one circuit trace has a proximal end and a distal end and a length greater than said fixed length.  
     
     
         13 . The flexible circuit of  claim 12 , where said proximal and distal ends are affixable to said printed circuit board.  
     
     
         14 . The flexible circuit of  claim 13 , where said adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.