Extensible spiral for flex circuit

• US 7,275,562 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2001
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Killeen, Kevin, Barth, Phillip W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard; Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Norris; Jeremy C.
• Application Number:
  US09/981,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20030070833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,176 Days
• Field of Search: 174/250, 174/254, 174/255, 361749-751, 361/776, 210/198.2, 137/590
• US Class Current: 137/590
• 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 flexible planar substrate having a topside,

a flexible and extensible structure formed within and originating as part of said flexible planar substrate, said stucture being co-planar with said substrate, said structure having a structure topside;

an insulated capillary formed on said structure for transferring a fluid; and

wherein said structure is extendable out of said plane by a distance greater than a maximum lateral dimension of said structure, such that said structure topside continues to face in a general topside direction.

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

3. The flexible circuit according to claim 2, wherein said spiral is an Archimedes spiral.

4. The flexible circuit according to claim 2, wherein said spiral is a parabolic spiral.

5. The flexible circuit according to claim 2, wherein said spiral is a polygonal spiral.

6. The flexible circuit according to claim 5, wherein said spiral is one of a square spiral, a triangular spiral, a pentagonal spiral and a hexagonal spiral.

7. 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 end zig-zag.

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

9. 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.

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

11. A flexible circuit comprising:

a flexible substrate having a plane;

a flexible and extensible structure formed within and as part of said substrate, said flexible and extensible structure includes a topside and is extendable out of said plane by a distance greater than a maximum lateral dimension of said structure such that said topside remains facing in a general topside direction; and

an insulated capillary for transferring a fluid on said structure.

12. The flexible circuit according to claim 11, wherein said structure is a spiral.

13. The flexible circuit according to claim 12, wherein said spiral is an Archimedes spiral.

14. The flexible circuit according to claim 12, wherein said spiral is a a parabolic spiral.

15. The flexible circuit according to claim 12, wherein said spiral is a polygonal spiral.

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

17. The flexible circuit according to claim 11, wherein said structure has geometric features selected from a group comprising spiral, bend, curve, twist, turn, curl, loop, u-turn and zig-zag.

18. The flexible circuit according to claim 11, wherein said structure is defined by dashed perforations.

19. The flexible circuit according to claim 11, wherein said structure comprises a boss for receiving a force to extend said structure out of said plane.

20. The flexible circuit according to claim 11 further comprising a second insulated pathway on said structure.

21. A flexible circuit comprising:

a flexible planar substrate;

a flexible and extensible structure formed within and as part of said substrate, said structure having a top side;

a capillary for transferring fluid on said structure; and

wherein said structure is extendable substantially perpendicular to said plane within the region defined by said plane, such that said top side remains facing in a general topside direction.

22. The flexible circuit according to claim 21 further comprising an insulated pathway formed on said structure.

23. The flexible circuit according to claim 21, wherein said structure is a spiral.