Extensible spiral for flex circuit

• US 20030070833A1
• Filed: 10/17/2001
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Barth, Phillip W., Killeen, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,275,562 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/250
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/125 Bends, branchings or intersections
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/13 Integrated optical circuits characterised by the manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86348 Tank with internally extending flow guide, pipe or conduit

Abstract

A planar extensible structure in a flat planar flex circuit can be extended out of the plane of the circuit by a distance of more than the width of the structure to carry fluids, electrical signals or optical signals into and out of the circuit. The planar extensible structure may be an Archimedes spiral, a parabolic spiral, a polygonal spiral, a non-spiral extensible shape, or other extensible shape. The invention can be used to siphon fluid samples from each well in a multiple-well microtiter plate into a microfluidic manifold for utility in chemical and biochemical analysis. The invention can also be used to allow electrical interconnect between adjacent circuits or circuit boards, and can allow signals carried in optical fibers to be transferred between optical circuits in different planes.

Claims

1. A flexible circuit comprising:

a substrate having a plane;

a flexible and extensible structure formed within said substrate and co-planar with said substrate; and

wherein said structure is adapted to be extended out of said plane by a distance greater than a maximum lateral dimension of said structure.

2. The flexible circuit according to claim 1 further comprising a pathway formed on said structure.

3. The flexible circuit according to claim 2, wherein said pathway is a capillary for transferring a fluid.

4. The flexible circuit according to claim 2, wherein said pathway is an electrical lead for transferring an electronic signal.

5. The flexible circuit according to claim 2, wherein said pathway is an electrical lead for transferring an electrical signal.

6. The flexible circuit according to claim 2, wherein said pathway is an optical fiber for transferring an optical signal.

7. The flexible circuit according to claim 6, wherein bending radii of said optical fiber are large enough to prevent substantial optical loss from said optical fiber.

8. The flexible circuit according to claim 1, wherein said structure is a spiral.

9. The flexible circuit according to claim 8, wherein said spiral is an Archimedes spiral.

10. The flexible circuit according to claim 8, wherein said spiral is a parabolic spiral.

11. The flexible circuit according to claim 8, wherein said spiral is a polygonal spiral.

12. The flexible circuit according to claim 11, wherein said spiral is one of a square spiral, a triangular spiral, a pentagonal spiral and a hexagonal spiral.

13. The flexible circuit according to claim 1, wherein said structure has geometric features selected from a group comprising spiral, bend, curve, twist, turn, curl, loop, u-turn and zig-zag.

14. The flexible circuit according to claim 1, wherein said structure is defined by perforations.

15. The flexible circuit according to claim 1, wherein said structure comprises a boss for receiving a force to extend said structure out of said plane.

16. The flexible circuit according to claim 1 further comprising at least a first pathway and a second pathway.

36. The assembly according to claim 16, wherein said target volume comprises a sample well containing a sample fluid.

17. A flexible circuit comprising:

a substrate having a plane;

a flexible and extensible structure formed within said substrate and co-planar with said substrate, said flexible and extensible structure is adapted to be extended out of said plane by a distance greater than a maximum lateral dimension of said structure; and

a pathway on said structure.

18. The flexible circuit according to claim 17, wherein said pathway is a capillary for transferring a fluid.

19. The flexible circuit according to claim 17, wherein said pathway is an electrical lead for transferring an electronic signal.

20. The flexible circuit according to claim 17, wherein said pathway is an optical fiber for transferring an optical signal.

21. The flexible circuit according to claim 20, wherein bending radii of said optical fiber are large enough to prevent substantial optical loss from said optical fiber.

22. The flexible circuit according to claim 17, wherein said structure is a spiral.

23. The flexible circuit according to claim 22, wherein said spiral is an Archimides spiral.

24. The flexible circuit according to claim 22, wherein said spiral is a parabolic spiral.

25. The flexible circuit according to claim 22, wherein said spiral is a polygonal spiral.

26. The flexible circuit according to claim 25, wherein said spiral is one of a square spiral, a triangular spiral, a pentagonal spiral and a hexagonal spiral.

27. The flexible circuit according to claim 17, wherein said structure has geometric features selected from a group comprising spiral, bend, curve, twist, turn, curl, loop, u-turn and zig-zag.

28. The flexible circuit according to claim 17, wherein said structure is defined by perforations.

29. The flexible circuit according to claim 17 wherein said structure comprises a boss for receiving a force to extend said structure out of said plane.

30. The flexible circuit according to claim 17 further comprising a second pathway on said structure.

31. A method of manufacturing a fluidic flexible circuit comprising:

forming a trench in an upper surface of a first sheet;

locating a second sheet on said upper surface of said first sheet, thereby covering at least a portion of said trench to form a capillary;

wherein said first sheet and said second sheet form a substrate;

forming a pattern in said substrate, said pattern formed in a shape that defines an extensible structure, said extensible structure adapted to be extended out of said plane by a distance greater than a maximum lateral dimension of said structure, said extensible structure carrying said capillary.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said step of forming a pattern includes forming a groove formed in said substrate.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein said step of forming a pattern includes forming a series of perforations formed in said substrate.

35. An assembly comprising:

a target volume;

a substantially planar structure adjacent to said target volume, said structure having a boss;

a pin for engaging said boss for selectively forcing said boss out of a plane defined by said substantially planar structure and forcing said boss into contact with said target volume.