Electronic unit integrated into a flexible polymer body

• US 7,030,411 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Rose, Klint A., Krulevitch, Peter A., Hamilton, Julie K., Benett, William J., Maghribi, Mariam N., Davidson, James Courtney, Strauch, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Phuc T.
• Application Number:
  US10/939,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20050030698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 257/57, 257/724, 257/734, 257/738
• US Class Current: 257/57
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0452 Specially adapted for transcutaneous muscle stimulation [TMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5387 Flexible insulating substrates H01L23/5388 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/065 the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0313 Organic insulating material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0162 Silicon containing polymer, e.g. silicone
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09118 Moulded substrate

Abstract

A peel and stick electronic system comprises a silicone body, and at least one electronic unit operatively connected to the silicone body. The electronic system is produce by providing a silicone layer on a substrate, providing a metal layer on the silicone layer, and providing at least one electronic unit connected to the metal layer.

Claims

1. A peel and stick electronic apparatus, comprising:

a thin, clear, and flexible silicone body, said thin, clear, and flexible silicone body having an underside that is a peel and stick surface that can easily be affixed to other surfaces, and

at least one electronic unit operatively integrated into said silicone body.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises a sensor.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises a MEMS sensor.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises a resistor.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises a capacitor.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises an integrated circuit.

7. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises a microprocessor.

8. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises an electrode array.

9. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises a display.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises a power source.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises a solar cell.

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises a battery.

13. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises a neural probe.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises a light emitting diode.

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit forms a system and the system comprises a computer.

16. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit forms a system and the system comprises a radio.

17. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit forms a system and the system comprises a television.

18. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit forms a system and the system comprises a magnetometer.

19. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said silicone body comprises a poly(dimethylsiloxane) body.

20. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said silicone body is a thin flat silicone body.

21. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said silicone body is a transparent spherical silicone body containing a solar cell and a MEMS sensor.

22. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said peel and stick surface provides a mounting surface.

23. The electronic apparatus of claim 22 wherein said mounting surface is produced in the process of producing said electronic apparatus.

24. The electronic apparatus of claim 22 wherein said mounting surface includes means for connecting said mounting surface to an external surface.

25. The electronic apparatus of claim 24 wherein said means for connecting said mounting surface to an external surface contains an adhesive.

26. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein including metal traces operatively connected to said silicone body and said at least one electronic unit and wherein said at least one electronic unit is irreversibly bonded to said silicone body to make electrical contact between said at least one electronic unit and said metal traces and to seal said electronic apparatus.

27. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises an implantable medical device.

28. The electronic apparatus of claim 27 wherein said implantable medical device comprises a stimulating electrode array.

29. The electronic apparatus of claim 27 wherein said implantable medical device comprises a recording electrode array.

30. The electronic apparatus of claim 27 wherein said at least one electronic unit comprises integrated microfluidics for drug delivery in implant applications or chemical or biological sensing applications.

31. A peel and stick electronic apparatus, comprising:

a thin, clear, and flexible silicone body, said thin, clear, and flexible silicone body having an underside that is a peel and stick surface that can easily be affixed to other surfaces,

a first unit integrated into said silicone body,

at least one additional unit integrated into said silicone body, and

a circuit integrated into said silicone body connected to said first unit and connected to said at least one additional unit.

32. The electronic apparatus of claim 31 wherein said circuit is an electronic circuit.

33. The electronic apparatus of claim 31 wherein said first unit is an electronic component.

34. The electronic apparatus of claim 31 wherein said first unit is a sensor.

35. The electronic apparatus of claim 31 wherein said first unit is a MEMS sensor.

36. The electronic apparatus of claim 31 wherein said silicone body comprises a poly(dimethylsiloxane) body.

37. The electronic apparatus of claim 31 wherein said peel and stick surface provides a mounting surface and wherein said electronic apparatus includes means for connecting said mounting surface to an external surface.

38. The electronic apparatus of claim 31 wherein said peel and stick surface provides means for connecting said mounting surface to an external surface and said mounting surface contains an adhesive.

39. The electronic apparatus of claim 31 wherein said silicone body is a thin flat silicone body.