Rip stop on flex and rigid flex circuits

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Patent Application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of the co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/916,722, filed on Dec. 17, 2013, and entitled “NANO-COPPER VIA FILL FOR THERMAL PLATED THROUGH HOLE APPLICATIONS,” which is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally directed to wearable electronics and wearable electronic medical devices. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a means for limiting stress in and strengthening deformable electronics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electronic devices are increasingly being developed so as to be worn by a user, such as in wearable electronics. As these wearable electronics gain traction in the marketplace, a new breed of devices that are able to bend, flex and stretch must be developed. These mechanical requirements present reliability challenges on mechanical components, circuit boards and interconnects, as well as electronic components. In order to limit the stress and strain to these components while still maintaining flexibility, mechanical provisions must be put in place.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A rip stop material is attached at a stress area of a flexible circuit board in order to strengthen the flexible circuit board and minimize ripping and cracking of the circuit board and in the polyimide and/or the copper conductors of the circuit. A rip stop transition layer is formed and deposited at a location on the flexible circuit in order to minimize, reduce, if not preventing cracking and ripping of the circuit as it is bent and flexed. The rip stop transition layer can be placed at different locations on and within the flexible circuit in order to minimize cracking and ripping as the flexible circuit is bent, flexed and twisted.

In one aspect, a deformable electronic comprises a deformable electronic body comprising a flexible base with one or more coverlays coupled to the flexible base and a rip stop material deposited at a location on the body in order to minimize, reduce, if not preventing cracking and ripping of the body as the body is flexed. In some embodiments, the rip stop material is deposited at a high stress location of the deformable electronic. Particularly, the rip stop material comprises an open weave interlocking fabric. In some embodiments, the rip stop material is attached to one of a rigid, a rigid-flex, a stretch, a rigid-stretch, and a mechanism housing of the deformable electronic. In some embodiments, the deformable electronic comprises a flexible circuit board. In further embodiments, the rip stop material is attached to one of the inside and the outside of the deformable electronic. In some embodiments, the deformable electronic comprises a plurality of rip stop material layers. In further embodiments, the rip stop material is laminated on a top of the one or more coverlays as a cap of the deformable electronic is laminated. In some embodiments, the rip stop material is laminated on top of the flexible base before the one or more coverlays are laminated. In some embodiments, the rip stop material is deposited at a high twist area of the deformable electronic.

In another aspect, a method of strengthening a deformable electronic comprises forming a rip stop transition layer and depositing the rip stop transition layer at a location on a body of the deformable electronic in order to minimize, reduce, if not preventing cracking and ripping of the body as it is flexed. In some embodiments, the rip stop material is deposited at a high stress location of the deformable electronic. Particularly, the rip stop material comprises an open weave interlocking fabric. In some embodiments, the rip stop material is attached to one of a rigid, a rigid-flex, a stretch, a rigid-stretch, and a mechanism housing of the deformable electronic. In some embodiments, the deformable electronic comprises a flexible circuit board. In further embodiments, the rip stop material is attached to one of the inside and the outsides of the deformable electronic. In some embodiments, the deformable electronic comprises a plurality of rip stop material layers. In further embodiments, the rip stop material is laminated on a top of the one or more coverlays as a cap of the deformable electronic is laminated. In some embodiments, the rip stop material is laminated on top of the flexible base before the one or more coverlays are laminated. In some embodiments, the rip stop material is deposited at a high twist area of the deformable electronic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Several example embodiments are described with reference to the drawings, wherein like components are provided with like reference numerals. The example embodiments are intended to illustrate, but not to limit, the invention. The drawings include the following figures:

FIG. 1 illustrates a flexible circuit board in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate a flexible circuit board in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method of strengthening a flexible circuit board in accordance with some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the invention are directed to applying a rip stop material to a flexible circuit board in order to strengthen the circuit and minimize, reduce, if not preventing rips and cracks. A rip stop material is attached at a stress area of a flexible circuit board in order to strengthen the flexible circuit board and minimize ripping and cracking in the polyimide and/or the copper conductors of the circuit. A rip stop transition layer is formed and deposited at a location on the flexible circuit in order to minimize, reduce, if not preventing cracking and ripping of the circuit as it is bent and flexed. The rip stop transition layer can be placed at different locations on and within the flexible circuit in order to minimize cracking and ripping as the flexible circuit is bent, flexed and twisted. For example, in some embodiments, the rip stop material is dispersed throughout the circuit as a coverlay, an underlay, and symmetrically positioned within the circuit board as an overlay and an underlay.

Reference will now be made in detail to implementations of mechanical measures for strengthening a flexible circuit board as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The same reference indicators will be used throughout the drawings and the following detailed description to refer to the same or like parts. In the interest of clarity, not all of the routine features of the implementations described herein are shown and described. It will be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions can be made in order to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with application and business related constraints, and that these specific goals will vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of engineering for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a flexible circuit board or deformable electronic is depicted therein. The flexible circuit board 100 comprises a multi-layer body 101 comprising a top cover layer 103, a bottom cover layer 105, a flexible base 107, and a center pre-preg section 111. Although the flexible circuit board 100 is shown having a top coverlay 103 and a bottom coverlay 105, the flexible circuit 100 is able to comprise more or less coverlays as appropriately desired. The center pre-preg section 111 is able to comprise a rigid or flexible section. Particularly, the flexible circuit 100 is able to comprise one or more rigid, rigid-flexible, flexible, stretchable and rigid-stretchable sections. One or more rip stop layers 109 are deposited throughout the body 101 of the flexible circuit. The one or more rip stop layers 109 strengthen the flexible circuit 100 so it is not ripped or cracked as the circuit 100 is bent, flexed, and twisted. The one or more rip stop layers 109 are attached at a specific location in order to strengthen the flexible circuit 100. The one or more rip stop layers 109 are deposited on the inner layers and/or outer layers of the circuit 100 depending upon the desired application.

Interconnects can be formed between one or more rigid component sections and one or more flexible sections of the circuit body. In some embodiments, the interconnects are electrical interconnects, such as conductive traces. In other embodiments, the interconnects are optical interconnects, such as waveguides. It is understood that other types of interconnects are contemplated.

The rip stop material is an open weave fabric comprising a series of threads woven in an interlocking cross-hatching patten. During weaving, the threads are interwoven at regular intervals in the cross-hatch pattern. The cross-hatch pattern and reinforcing technique makes the rip stop material resistant to ripping and tearing while maintaining a high strength to weight ratio. Particularly, the one or more rip stop material layers 109 can be placed in high stress areas of the flexible or rigid stack up in order to minimize ripping and tearing of the flexible circuit 100 and its polyimide and/or copper conductors. In some embodiments, the one or more rip stop material layers 109 utilize a thermal set adhesive embedded within an open weave fabric and are attached to the flexible circuit 100. In some embodiments the one or more rip stop layers 109 are heat resistant. As shown in FIG. 1, the one or more rip stop layers 109 are laminated on a top of the coverlay 103 and the coverlay 105 as a cap is laminated. The cap is able to comprises a rigid or flexible cap.

FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate a flexible circuit board or deformable electronic in accordance with some embodiments. The flexible circuit 200 is similar to the flexible circuit as described above in relation to FIG. 1. The flexible circuit board 200 comprises a multi-layer body 201 comprising a top cover layer 203, a bottom cover layer 205, a flexible base 207, and a center pre-preg section 211. Although the flexible circuit board 200 is shown having a top coverlay 203 and a bottom coverlay 205, the flexible circuit 200 is able to comprise more or less coverlays as appropriately desired. The center pre-preg section 211 is able to comprise a rigid or flexible section. One or more rip stop layers 209 are deposited throughout the body 201 of the flexible circuit 200. As described above, the one or more rip stop layers 209 strengthen the flexible circuit 200 so it is not ripped or cracked as the circuit 200 is bent, flexed, and twisted. The one or more rip stop layers 209 are attached at a specific location in order to strengthen the flexible circuit 200. The one or more rip stop layers 209 are deposited on the inner layers and/or outer layers of the circuit 200 depending upon the desired application. Particularly as shown within FIGS. 2A-2C, in the one or more rip stop layers 209 can be dispersed throughout the circuit as a coverlay, an underlay, and symmetrically positioned within the circuit board as an overlay and an underlay.

As shown within FIG. 2A, the one or more rip stop material layers 209 are attached to the flexible base 207. Particularly, the one or more rip stop layers 209 are attached to the flexible base 207 and on opposite sides of the center pre-preg section 211. The one or more rip stop layers 209 are attached at a specific location in order to strengthen the flexible circuit 200 so it is not ripped or cracked as the circuit 200 is bent, flexed, and twisted. The one more rip stop material layers 209 are laminated on top of the flexible base before the coverlays are laminated within the flexible circuit 200. In some embodiments, the one or more rip stop layers 209 utilize a thermal set adhesive and are heat resistant.

As shown within FIG. 2B, one or more rip stop material layers 219 are attached at a high stress area 213 of the flexible circuit 200. Particularly, the high stress area 213 comprises a high twist area of the circuit 200. The one or more rip stop material layers 219 enable the flexible circuit 200 to twist and bend without ripping or cracking. The one or more rip stop layers 209 and the one or more rip stop layers 219 are placed throughout the inside layers and/or the outside layers and at specific locations in order to strengthen and protect the flexible circuit 200. Particularly, the one or more rip stop layers 209 are able to be located at high stress areas such as where the circuit is commonly bent, twisted and flexed.

FIG. 2C shows one or more rip stop material layers 209 attached to the a center pre-preg section 211 and the coverlays. As described above, the center pre-preg section 211 is able to comprise a rigid or flexible section. The one or more rip stop material layers 209 are laminated on top of the center pre-preg section 21 and the coverlays of the flexible circuit 200. In some embodiments, the one or more rip stop layers 209 utilize a thermal set adhesive and are heat resistant.

FIG. 3 illustrates a method of strengthening a deformable electronic such as a flexible circuit board. The method begins in the step 310. In the step 320, a rip stop transition layer is formed. In some embodiments, the rip stop material is an open weave fabric comprising a series of threads woven in an interlocking cross-hatching patten. Then, in the step 330, the rip stop transition layer is deposited at a location on the flexible circuit board in order to minimize, reduce, if not preventing cracking and ripping as the circuit board is flexed. In some embodiments, the rip stop transition layer utilizes a thermal set adhesive and are heat resistant. In some embodiments, the rip stop transition layer is placed in a high stress areas of the flexible or rigid stack up in order to minimize ripping and tearing of the flexible circuit and its polyimide and/or copper conductors. The rip stop transition layer is attached to one or more rigid, rigid-flexible, flexible, stretchable and rigid-stretchable sections of the flexible circuit. Particularly, any number of rip stop transition layers are able to be deposited on the inner layers and/or outer layers of the circuit depending upon the desired application. The method ends in the step 340.

In operation, one or more rip stop transition layers are formed and deposited onto a deformable electronic such as a flexible circuit in order to strengthen the circuit. The rip stop material is attached at a stress area of a flexible circuit board in order to strengthen the flexible circuit board and minimize ripping and cracking of the circuit and the polyimide and/or the copper conductors of the circuit. A rip stop transition layer is formed and deposited at a location on the flexible circuit in order to minimize, reduce, if not preventing cracking and ripping of the circuit as it is bent and flexed. The rip stop transition layer can be placed at different locations on and within the flexible circuit in order to minimize cracking and ripping and the flexible circuit is bent, flexed and twisted.

Specifically, a rip stop layer is bonded inside, outside or to the casing of the flexible circuit. Particularly, rip stop layer is able to bend and move with the flexible circuit in order to minimize, reduce, if not preventing cracking and ripping. Additionally, one or more rip stop layers can be placed in high stress areas of the circuit such as where it is commonly twisted, bent, and flexed. Accordingly, the flexible circuit is strengthened in its high stress areas. In this manner depositing one or more rip stop material layers onto the flexible circuit decreases the chance that the circuit will rip or tear and mechanically fail. Accordingly, applying a rip stop material to a flexible circuit board in order to strengthen the circuit and minimize, reduce, if not preventing rips and cracks as described herein has many advantages.

The present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments incorporating details to facilitate the understanding of the principles of construction and operation of the invention. Such references, herein, to specific embodiments and details thereof are not intended to limit the scope of the claims appended hereto. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made in the embodiments chosen for illustration without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Specifically it will be apparent to someone of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is able to be used to strengthen any deformable electronic.