• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
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  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    The disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing an electronic apparatus including a first layer (310) including a first flexible film of electrically insulating or dielectric material; a second layer (312) including a circuit assembly (318, 320) comprising a printed circuit structure (318) printed on the first flexible film, circuit components (320) assembled on the printed circuit structure, and a second flexible film (316) of insulating or dielectric material, the circuit components being incorporated in perforated holes (322) of the second flexible film; and a third layer (314) including a third flexible film of electrically insulating or dielectric material.
    公开号:FI20205451A1
    申请号:FI20205451
    申请日:2020-05-04
    公开日:2021-11-05
    发明作者:Mikko Hietala；Terho Kololuoma；Tuomas Happonen
    申请人:Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus Vtt Oy；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND ANELECTRONIC APPARATUS
    FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to printed electronics, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus using printed and assembled components for a functional circuit assembly.
    BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE The term printed electronics is used herein to refer to processes where electronic components, systems or devices are created by patterning conductive traces as well as required passive and active electronic components directly on a suitable substrate. Printed electronics is a rapidly growing technology and is becoming invaluable to several industries including healthcare, aerospace, media, and transit. An interesting branch of printed electronics is hybrid integrated electronics where discrete electronic components are assembled on printed electronic circuitry. A challenge is, however, that due to abrading forces, mechanical reliability of the discrete components in printed hybrid systems is not yet adequate. Document Pentti Karioja, et al; “Printed hybrid systems”, Proc. SPIE 8344, Nanosensors, Biosensors, and Info-Tech sensors and Systems 2012, 83440G (March 2012): doi:
    10.1117/12.915206 discloses Printed Hybrid Systems (PHS) with various examples of combining manufacturing technologies, such as, roll-to-roll-printing, injection molding and traditional component assembly. The document suggests that by utilizing the good properties of printed electronics, namely the substrate flexibility and low cost, totally new types of robust product structures can be created. In the method, components are N 25 assembled on a R2R printed foil, and the sub-assembly is then rolled to an injection N molding machine. When the plastic is injected into the cavity the components are = embedded in the polymer structure, which also forms the 3D shape of the final module or © system. The overmolding stage indeed protects the functional circuitry but is a stop and E go process with tens of seconds stroke time, which is quite unsuitable for a running web. 5 30 Also, the area of the system to be overmolded is limited. 3 Accordingly, there is a great interest to provide a high-volume protection method applicable S in roll-to-roll process, and thereby improve applicability of hybrid integrated electronics in various end product applications.
    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE An object of the present disclosure is to provide a method and a structure for an apparatus manufactured by that method so as to improve yield of hybrid integrated systems that are robust against abrasion and exposure to chemical substances.
    The object of the disclosure is achieved by a method and an electronic apparatus, which are characterized by what is stated in the independent claims. Some advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims.
    The disclosure is based on the idea of creating the electronic apparatus as a laminate, that includes three layers. A middle layer in the composite system is a perforated film, holes of which are adjusted to incorporate the discrete components that protrude from the printed circuit structure and would otherwise be subjected to abrasive forces. The outer layers close the holes and provide a protective member over printed and assembled elements of the electronic apparatus.
    An advantage of the method and apparatus of the disclosure is that electrically active parts of the functional circuitry of the electronic apparatus are nested within protective materials of the three flexible films, and the structure is thus very robust against mechanical impacts and chemical substances. The structure can be manufactured in consecutive and/or parallel roll-to-roll compliant processes, which means that a significantly improved throughput can be achieved with the disclosed method.
    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following the disclosure will be described in greater detail by means of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which > The flow chart of Figure 1 illustrates stages of an exemplary method for manufacturing an & 25 electronic apparatus;
    O <Q Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary implementation of the method + O of Figure 1 in a roll-to-roll process;
    I n. Figure 3A shows a top view of a multiple-layer composite film and Figure 3B shows a side o view of the composite taken along line A-A of figure 3A. +LO
    O N 30 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
    N Elements used to implement embodiments of the invention are first introduced by means of manufacture of one electronic apparatus. The flow chart of Figure 1 illustrates stages of an exemplary method for manufacturing an electronic apparatus. The term electronic apparatus refers here to a device that includes one or more physical components arranged to control and direct an electric current in a predefined manner. The disclosed method begins by printing a circuit structure on a first flexible film of electrically insulating or dielectric material (stage 100). The first flexible film refers herein to a layer of insulating or dielectric material that forms a substrate, a base material for one side of the thin printed circuit structure. By providing a primary membrane against direct mechanical impacts and exposure to chemical substances from said side, the first flexible film reduces unwanted effects of those to the printed circuit structure. In a flexible film, elasticity of the insulating or dielectric material is selected so that in the selected layer thickness, the flexible film forms a body that can elastically deform under an applied force and then return to its original size and shape when said force is removed. The flexibility is adjusted to enable using the film in roll-to-roll processes wherein flexible material is continuously rolled from a reel, processed, and after the process re-reeled in or forward. Substrate layer thicknesses in printed electronics typically vary between 25 to 250 millimetres. Applicable layer materials include, for example, plastics (basically polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polycarbonate (PC), polyimide (Pl), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)), papers (coated and uncoated) fabrics, or other material configurations that provide the required elasticity for roll-to-roll processing and resistivity of the order of 10'9 Om or more, advantageously of the order of 10'5 Om to 10" Om.
    Printing of the circuit structure refers to creating patterns of material on the first flexible film by means of printing eguipment such as screen printing, flexography, gravure, offset lithography, and inkjet, or some other deposition method that enables deposition of solution-based materials into predefined patterns on a surface. The printed circuit o structures may include one or more material layers applied successively on top of each S other to form organic semiconductors, inorganic semiconductors, metallic ro conductors, nanoparticles, and nanotubes, for example. When a selected printing method x is used in roll-to-roll processing, very high volumes of low-cost components can be I 30 produced. = The next stage relates to the concept of printed hybrid systems, where a first circuit = assembly is created by assembling one or more circuit components to predefined positions N of the printed circuit structure (stage 102). Circuit components refer herein to electrical N components, like chips or surface mounted devices that can be attached to physical contact with the printed circuit structure so that the joint operation of the printed circuit structure and the assembled components implements a common function.
    The printed circuit structure forms a pattern that defines routes for electric currents of the electronic apparatus, and when assembled into electrical contact in predefined positions of the printed circuit structure, the circuit components become functional parts of the first circuit assembly thereby created.
    Examples of circuit assemblies, which can be produced as printed hybrid systems include LED foils, sensor arrays, energy-harvesting modules and wireless communication systems.
    In the next stage a second flexible film is attached on the first flexible film (104). This second flexible film includes perforations that match with the predefined positions of the circuit components of the first circuit assembly.
    This means that after the attachment, the circuit components of the first circuit assembly are incorporated in the perforations of the second flexible film.
    It is clear that the design of the functional circuit assembly is accurately known so that perforations can be made to the second flexible film in a separate process so that after an initial alignment, the first flexible film and the second flexible film can be attached to each other also in a roll-to-roll process.
    The perforation can also be made in a roll-to-roll process.
    Attachment between the first flexible film and the second flexible film can apply various different methods suitable for fastening at least partially compliant surfaces to each other.
    For example, heat seal layers, extrusion coatings, pressure sensitive adhesives, UV coating, etc. can be used to provide required binding between the two films.
    Advantageously the thickness of the second flexible film is adjusted to be greater than the height of the highest circuit component in the first circuit assembly, so that all circuit components are fully protected inside the material of the second flexible film.
    To finalise the package, a third flexible film of insulating or dielectric material is attached on the second flexible film (stage 106). The third flexible film covers and thus closes the N perforations and creates a continuous protective membrane against direct mechanical N impacts and exposure to chemical substances.
    The third flexible film may be of the same P material or of some other material than the first flexible film and the method of attachment S to the second flexible film can be the same as or different than the one used with the first E 30 flexible film.
    Elasticity of the insulating or dielectric materials of each of the three flexible 5 films is selected so that flexibility of the package enables rolling the package with reels of 3 roll-to-roll processes.
    Advantageously, a film layer outermost on the reel (typically the third N flexible film) is configured to be more resilient to stretching deformations than the inner film N layers.
    For example, the first flexible film may be of PET and the third flexible film, which becomes the outermost film layer may be of TPU.
    The attachment of the second flexible film to the first flexible film and the attachment of the third flexible film to the other side of the second flexible film can be done in separate process steps or all three layers can be attached together in one shared process step.
    Notwithstanding these variations, the resulting element is, however, a multiple-layer composite element including the layer of 5 the first flexible film, the layer of the third flexible film and the layer of the second flexible film between them, and the first circuit assembly nested within the layers, as described above.
    Advantageously the second flexible film is a pressure sensitive adhesive tape, like a commercially available acrylic foam tape (e.g.
    VHB™ of 3M) typically used for bonding painted and unpainted, metals, higher surface energy plastics and glass.
    The pressure sensitive adhesive tape can be used provide a bonding layer that activates under pressure between the first flexible film and the third flexible film and attaches the structural layer into a tight laminate composite.
    Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary implementation of the method of Figure 1 in a roll-to-roll process.
    This example is based on use of adhesive film and a two-staged attachment process but, as already stated, other layer materials and process stage variations are included in the scope of the claims.
    The lowest line illustrates progress of the first flexible film, the arrows 100, 102 representing the printing and assembling process stages of Figure 1, continuously repeated for each successive circuit assembly of a manufactured electronic apparatus.
    The second line illustrates progress of the second flexible film, and the arrow 200 illustrates a stage of perforating the second flexible film to comply with the pattern of the circuit assemblies so that when the first flexible film and the second flexible film are attached together, the circuit components of the circuit assembly fit into the perforated holes in the second flexible film and remain protected within the walls of the perforated holes.
    The half-arrow illustrates a stage of removing a protective film from S the adhesive surface of pressure sensitive adhesive tape, applied if such removable film N is necessary to enable reeling of the adhesive tape before its attachment to the first flexible 3 film.
    The arrow 104 illustrates the first attachment process stage of Figure 1. In Figure 2, S the arrow 104 is shown separately, but the attachment can be implemented by pressing = 30 the films against each other by means of the opposite rotating reels, as well.
    Such two = opposite transferring reels of the roll-to-roll process can then provide a pressure that is = adequate to induce the adhesive effect of the adhesive tape.
    N The third line illustrates progress of the third flexible film, and the arrow 106 represents the N second attachment stage of Figure 1. Again, in Figure 2, the arrow 106 is shown separately, but the attachment can be implemented by pressing the films against each other by means of the opposite rotating reels, as well. Arrow 202 illustrates a further process stage where successive electronic apparatuses are physically separated from each other. Such singulation of devices can be done by, for example, lasering (outline cutting) or die-cutting (mechanical tool).
    Figure 3A shows a top view of a multiple-layer composite film before the device singulation in stage 202 of Figure 2. The film is in a form of a roll-to-roll process enabling web and boundaries to be cut to separate electronic apparatuses from each other are shown with dashed lines. An exemplary circuit assembly 300 inside the laminated structure is also shown with dashed lines. Advantageously the circuit assembly is as far as possible securely closed within the tightly fastened protective layers. However, it is often necessary to provide an interface that extends to a boundary of the electronic apparatus, or even beyond it, to provide outside access for input/output for the function of the electronic apparatus.
    Figure 3B shows a side view of the composite film taken along line A-A of figure 3A. Figure 3B illustrates an example structure for a laminated electronic apparatus produced by means of the method described in Figure 1. The structure includes a first layer 310 that includes a first flexible film of electrically insulating or dielectric material. The structure includes also a second layer 312, which includes a circuit assembly 318, 320 and a second flexible film 316 of insulating or dielectric material. The circuit assembly includes a printed circuit structure 318 printed on the first flexible layer 310, and one or more circuit components 320 assembled on the printed circuit structure 318. The circuit components 320 are incorporated in perforated holes 322 of the second flexible film 316. The structure includes also a third layer 314 that includes a third flexible film of electrically insulating or dielectric material. The third flexible film of the third layer 314 is attached to the second flexible film 316 and creates a protective member that closes the structure from one side S of the second layer 312. The first flexible film of the first layer 310 does the same in the
    O N other side so that the circuit components 320 of the circuit assembly remain protected from 3 abrasive forces and harmful chemical substances from outside.
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    权利要求:
    Claims (7)
    [1] 1. A method for manufacturing an electronic apparatus, comprising: printing (100) a circuit structure on a first flexible film of insulating or dielectric material; creating a first circuit assembly by assembling (102) one or more circuit components to predefined positions of the circuit structure on the first flexible film; attaching (104) a second flexible film on the first flexible film, the second flexible film including perforations matching with the predefined positions of the circuit components of the first circuit assembly so that after the attachment, the circuit components of the first circuit assembly are incorporated in the perforations of the second flexible film; attaching (106) on the second flexible film a third flexible film of insulating or dielectric material.
    [2] 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second flexible film is a pressure sensitive adhesive tape.
    [3] 3. A method according to claim 2, characterized by implementing the method in a roll- to-roll process.
    [4] 4. A method according to claim 3, characterized by attaching the first flexible film, the second flexible film and the third flexible film to each other in one process stage.
    [5] 5. A method according to claim 3, characterized by using two opposite transferring reels of the roll-to-roll process to implement pressure for inducing adhesive effect of the adhesive tape.
    [6] 6. An electronic apparatus including: S a first layer (310) including a first flexible film of electrically insulating or dielectric N material; 3 a second layer (312) including a circuit assembly (318, 320) comprising a printed S 25 circuit structure (318) printed on the first flexible film, circuit components (320) E assembled on the printed circuit structure and a second flexible film (316) of insulating — or dielectric material, the circuit components being incorporated in perforated holes = (322) of the second flexible film; N a third layer (314) including a third flexible film of electrically insulating or dielectric N 30 material.
    [7] 7. An electronic apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the circuit assembly is a printed hybrid system including a LED foil, a sensor, an energy- harvesting module or a wireless communication system.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    FI20205451A|2021-11-05|
    WO2021224548A1|2021-11-11|
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    US5433819A|1993-05-26|1995-07-18|Pressac, Inc.|Method of making circuit boards|
    US5976391A|1998-01-13|1999-11-02|Ford Motor Company|Continuous Flexible chemically-milled circuit assembly with multiple conductor layers and method of making same|
    JP5954295B2|2013-10-28|2016-07-20|住友電気工業株式会社|Flat cable and its manufacturing method|
    法律状态:
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    FI20205451A|FI20205451A|2020-05-04|2020-05-04|A method for manufacturing an electronic apparatus and an electronic apparatus|FI20205451A| FI20205451A|2020-05-04|2020-05-04|A method for manufacturing an electronic apparatus and an electronic apparatus|
    PCT/FI2021/050327| WO2021224548A1|2020-05-04|2021-05-03|A method for manufacturing an electronic apparatus and an electronic apparatus|
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