Stretchable electronic patch having a foldable circuit layer

• US 9,380,698 B1
• Filed: 03/10/2015
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivalnk Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vivalnk Inc.
• Inventors: Li, Jiang, Mei, Junfeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tuyen K
• Application Number:
  US14/644,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 235/451, 235/492, 235/375, 235/488
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6825 Hand
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6828 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3866 carried on the head
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0283 Stretchable printed circuits
• 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 2201/0133 Elastomeric or compliant polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09027 Non-rectangular flat PCB, e.g. circular
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09263 Meander
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10015 Non-printed capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10022 Non-printed resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/1003 Non-printed inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10098 Components for radio transmission, e.g. radio frequency identification [RFID] tag, printed or non-printed antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10166 : Transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10174 : Diode
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1316 : Moulded encapsulation of mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0014 : Shaping of the substrate, e.g. by moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/30 : Assembling printed circuits with electric components, e.g. with resistor

Abstract

An electronic patch includes a foldable circuit layer that includes a foldable network that includes comprising: a plurality of electronic modules comprising a plurality of electronic components, and flexible straps that connect the plurality of electronic modules, wherein the flexible straps comprise conductive circuit that are conductively connected with the plurality of electronic components in the plurality of electronic modules. Neighboring electronic modules can undulate in opposite directions normal to the foldable circuit layer. The electronic patch also includes an elastic layer that encloses the foldable circuit layer.

Claims

1. An electronic patch, comprising:

a foldable circuit layer that defines a layer normal direction perpendicular to the foldable circuit layer, comprising;

a foldable network, comprising;

a plurality of electronic modules comprising a plurality of electronic components, wherein the plurality of electronic modules include a first electronic module and second electronic modules on two sides of the first electronic module; and

flexible straps that connect the plurality of electronic modules, wherein the flexible straps comprise conductive circuit that are conductively connected with the plurality of electronic components in the plurality of electronic modules,

wherein the first electronic module is displaced along the layer normal direction perpendicular to the foldable circuit layer, wherein the second electronic modules are displaced opposite to the layer normal direction; and

an elastic layer that encloses the foldable circuit layer.

2. The electronic patch of claim 1, wherein the second electronic modules are positioned on two sides of the first electronic module along a first planar direction defined by the foldable circuit layer, wherein the plurality of electronic modules comprises:

third electronic modules on two sides of the first electronic module along a second planar direction,

wherein the third electronic modules are displaced opposite to the layer normal direction.

3. The electronic patch of claim 2, wherein the first electronic module and the second electronic modules are positioned in a row, wherein the first electronic module and the third electronic modules are positioned in a column perpendicular to the row.

4. The electronic patch of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic modules and the flexible straps define holes therein and form the foldable network comprising multiple holes, which in part forms the foldable network.

5. The electronic patch of claim 1, wherein the elastic layer has a Young'"'"'s Modulus lower than 0.3 Gpa.

6. The electronic patch of claim 1, wherein the elastic layer comprises an elastomeric material or a viscoelastic polymeric material.

7. The electronic patch of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic modules are formed on support substrates.

8. The electronic patch of claim 7, wherein the support substrate has a Young'"'"'s Modulus higher than 0.5 Gpa.

9. The electronic patch of claim 7, wherein the first support substrate comprises Polyimide, Polyethylene, Terephthalate, PEEK, Polyester, Aramid, Composite, Glass epoxy, and Polyethylene naphalate.

10. The electronic patch of claim 1, wherein the electronic components in the plurality of electronic modules comprise one or more semiconductor chips.

11. The electronic patch of claim 10, wherein the one or more semiconductor chips are configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device.

12. The electronic patch of claim 11, wherein the electronic components in the plurality of electronic modules comprise an antenna circuit configured to receive or transmit wireless signals in communications with the external device.

13. The electronic patch of claim 12, wherein the one or more semiconductor chips in combination with the first conductive circuit or the second conductive circuit are configured to wirelessly communicate with the external device based on near field communication (NFC), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or RFID wireless communication standard.

14. The electronic patch of claim 1, wherein the electronic components in the plurality of electronic modules comprise capacitors, inductors, resistors, metal pads, diodes, transistors, or amplifiers.

15. An electronic patch, comprising:

a foldable circuit layer that defines a layer normal direction perpendicular to the foldable circuit layer, comprising;

a foldable substrate comprising a plurality of sections separated by fold lines parallel to the substrate, wherein the foldable substrate is configured to be folded along the fold lines, wherein the plurality of sections are tilted relative to the layer normal direction;

a conductive circuit; and

a plurality of electronic components on different sections in the plurality of sections, wherein the conductive circuit is configured to connect the plurality of electronic components across the plurality of sections, wherein the substrate is folded along the fold lines that are parallel to the substrate; and

an elastic layer that encloses the foldable circuit layer.

16. The electronic patch of claim 15, wherein cross-sectionally the substrate has a zigzag shape, wherein neighboring sections in the plurality of sections are alternately tilted to the layer normal direction.

17. The electronic patch of claim 15, wherein the fold lines are substantially parallel to each other.