Flexible circuit package

Inventors

VIBERG, DAVID ALLAN • STEVENS, Travis Michael • NIELSEN, KRAIG ELBERT • PURDY, MICHAEL TODD

Assignees

Orpyx Medical Technologies Inc

Abstract

A flexible circuit package. The circuit package includes a termination point on a flexible base substrate. The termination point is connected with an interface by conductive material on the base substrate. The conductive material extends across the surface area of the base substrate in multiple individual connections, which are in communication with each other and separated by voids in the conductive material for mitigating communication failure between the termination point and the interface during or following flexion, stretching, compression or other deformation of the base substrate and the circuit package. The termination point may include an input module such as a sensor, switch or other input. The termination point may include an output module such as a light, vibrator or other output. The interface may include an output interface for receiving data or an input interface for sending a command or other signal.

Core Innovation

The disclosed invention relates to mitigating propagation of a crack in a conductive material connected with a flexible base by communicating data through the conductive material between a termination point on the flexible base and an interface for communicating through a circuit package. Communication through the conductive material is performed through at least a first portion that includes a first interconnect comprising at least two leads separated by a void. The voids provide crack-breakpoints and rip-stops that mitigate loss of electrical communication during deformation.

In embodiments, the flexible circuit package includes conductive material patterned into interconnected lead lines separated by voids so that crack propagation is limited under flexion, stretching, and compression. The termination point can include sensors or switches or an output module with input/output interfaces. The disclosure describes additional structural and geometric features for expected deformation behavior, including relief cuts defining an expected axis of flexion and interconnected reinforcement at locations of high flexion.

The disclosure further describes interconnect geometries in which leads are arranged relative to void patterns, including an orthogonal grid, a hexagonal grid, offset voids, and offset circular voids, as well as non-continuous traces along flexion axes. Additional embodiments include reinforcement elements having greater rigidity than the flexible base and pressure relief features using fluid channels or a fluid reservoir. Layered substrate structures and spacers/chambers are described in connection with pressure/force-sensitive electrode structures, including redundant conductive pathways and fluid channel-based pressure relief and humidity control.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim set provided centers on a method for mitigating crack propagation by communicating data through a conductive interconnect on a flexible base, where at least two leads of the conductive material are separated by voids that act as crack-breakpoints/rip-stops. Based on the partial content, the only explicitly provided independent claim is clm-00001; no other independent claim text is included in the provided material.

The claim coverage in the provided material focuses on crack propagation mitigation for conductive material coupled to a flexible base by routing communication through an interconnect where at least two leads are separated by a void, with further refinements (present in the provided dependent-claim notes) addressing multi-void/multi-lead configurations, void/grid arrangements, sensor/output module structures at the termination point, and additional reinforcement or pressure-relief features.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications