Z-fold multi-element substrate structure

• US 9,195,358 B1
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Cok, Ronald Steven, Tombs, Thomas Nathaniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Parekh, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US14/289,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20150346858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 257/688, 257/702, 257/98, 257/432, 257/E25.032
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04112 Electrode mesh in capacitive digitiser: electrode for touch sensing is formed of a mesh of very fine, normally metallic, interconnected lines that are almost invisible to see. This provides a quite large but transparent electrode surface, without need for ITO or similar transparent conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04164 Connections between sensors and controllers, e.g. routing lines between electrodes and connection pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/148 Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/055 Folded back on itself
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10128 Display
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1545 Continuous processing, i.e. involving rolls moving a band-like or solid carrier along a continuous production path
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/1275 by other printing techniques, e.g. letterpress printing, intaglio printing, lithographic printing, offset printing

Abstract

A folded micro-wire substrate structure includes a transparent folded flexible substrate having a first side and a second side opposed to the first side. The flexible substrate has a first portion and a second portion adjacent to the first portion of the flexible substrate. The flexible substrate has at least a first fold between the first and second portions so that the first portion is aligned with the second portion in a perpendicular direction. One or more electrical conductors is located in or on the flexible substrate, at least one electrical component is located on or in the flexible substrate in the first portion. At least one optical element is located on or in the flexible substrate in the second portion located so that the optical element directs light to or from the electrical component.

Claims

1. A folded micro-wire substrate structure, comprising:

a transparent folded flexible substrate having a first side and a second side opposed to the first side, the flexible substrate having a first portion and a second portion adjacent to the first portion of the flexible substrate;

the flexible substrate having at least a first fold between the first and second portions so that the first portion is aligned with the second portion in a direction perpendicular to the first and second portions of the flexible substrate;

one or more electrical conductors located in or on the flexible substrate;

at least one electrical component located on or in the flexible substrate in the first portion; and

at least one optical element located on or in the flexible substrate in the second portion located so that the optical element directs light to or from the electrical component.

2. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 1, the flexible substrate further including a third portion adjacent to the second portion so that the second portion is between the first and third portions of the flexible substrate, the flexible substrate having a second fold between the second and third portions so that the second side is between the second and third portions in the perpendicular direction.

3. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 2, the flexible substrate further including a fourth portion adjacent to the third portion so that the third portion is located between the second and fourth portions of the flexible substrate, the flexible substrate having a fourth fold between the fourth and fifth portions so that the fourth portion is adjacent to the third portion in the perpendicular direction.

4. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 1 wherein the electrical component is a light emitter or absorbs light to produce electrical current.

5. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 1, wherein the optical element is a first optical element on or in the first side and further including at least one second optical element on or in the second side.

6. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 5, wherein the first and second optical elements have a common optical axis.

7. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 5, wherein the first and second optical elements do not have a common optical axis.

8. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 1 wherein the optical element is formed in the flexible substrate or secured to the flexible substrate.

9. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 1 further including an additional substrate located between the first and second portions in the perpendicular direction.

10. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 9 wherein the additional substrate is electrically insulating.

11. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 9 wherein the additional substrate is transparent.

12. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 11 wherein the additional substrate has one or more optical elements formed in or secured to the additional substrate.

13. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 1 wherein at least one electrical conductor extends from the first portion to the second portion and across the first fold.

14. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 1 further including a protective layer on the flexible substrate so that the electrical conductors are between the protective layer and at least a portion of the flexible substrate.

15. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 1 wherein the flexible substrate further includes an extended portion adjacent to the first portion so that the first portion is located between the extended portion and the second portion and so that there is no portion of the flexible substrate adjacent to the extended portion in the perpendicular direction.

16. The folded micro-wire substrate structure of claim 1 further including an electrical connection between an electrical conductor in the first portion and an electrical conductor in the second portion that does not extend across the first fold.

17. The micro-wire substrate structure of claim 1, wherein the first portion is in contact with the second portion.