Integrated functional multilayer structure and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A functional multi-layer structure (100) comprising a substrate film (102) shaped or shapable to exhibit a selected shape (103) and a plurality of functional elements (110, 112, 114, 210), preferably including optical elements, mechanical elements, opto-electrical elements, electrical elements and / or in particular electronic elements, such as conductors (112), insulators (114), components (110, 210) and / or integrated circuits (110, 210), disposed on the substrate film in a certain proximity of the shape (103); wherein the substrate film (102) is further provided with structure adjustment elements (116, 316, 416, 616, 716, 816, 916, 1016), optionally including elongated shapes (316, 416), circumferential shapes (616, 716) or other selected shapes, configured to locally control induced deformations of the substrate film within the proximity of the shape, optionally including stretching, bending, compression and / or shearing. Related manufacturing methods are presented.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally relates to functional integrated structures that incorporate features such as electronic, mechanical, or optical components. In particular, but not exclusively, this invention relates to situations where the substrate layer of the structure undergoes processing activities that cause deformation thereto. Background Technology

[0002] In the context of different functional sets, such as in the electronics and electronic products field, there exist a variety of stacked assemblies and multi-layered structures. The motivations behind the integration of functions involving, for example, electronic, mechanical, or optical features can be as diverse as the relevant usage context. When the resulting solution ultimately exhibits a multi-layered nature, the pursuit is often for size savings, weight savings, cost savings, or simply efficient integration of components. Related use cases can further involve product packaging or boxes, visual design of device housings, wearable electronics, personal electronics, displays, detectors or sensors, vehicle interiors, antennas, tags, and vehicle electronics, among others.

[0003] Electronic devices, such as electronic components, ICs (integrated circuits), and conductors, can typically be mounted onto substrate elements using a variety of different techniques. For example, off-the-shelf electronic devices, such as various surface mount devices (SMDs), can be mounted on the surface of a substrate with inner or outer interface layers that ultimately form a multilayer structure. Alternatively, techniques falling under the term "printed electronics" can be applied to practically and additionally produce electronic devices directly onto an associated substrate. In this context, the term "printing" refers to various printing techniques capable of producing electronic devices / components from printed matter through essentially additive printing processes, including but not limited to screen printing, flexographic printing, and inkjet printing. The substrate used can be an organic flexible printing material; however, this is not always the case.

[0004] Furthermore, the concept of Injection Molded Structured Electronics (IMSE) involves constructing functional devices and their components in a multi-layered structure, which encapsulates electronic functionality as seamlessly as possible. A key characteristic of IMSE is that the electronic devices are typically manufactured in a true 3D (non-planar) form based on a three-dimensional (3D) model of the entire target product, a portion of it, or a general design. To achieve the desired 3D layout of the electronic devices on a 3D substrate and in the associated final product, two-dimensional (2D) electronic device assembly methods can still be used to set the electronic devices on an initially planar substrate, such as a film. Therefore, the substrate already housing the electronic devices can be molded into the desired three-dimensional (3D) shape and, for example, overmolded from a suitable plastic material that covers and embeds the underlying components, such as the electronic devices, thereby protecting and potentially concealing the components from environmental influences. Additional layers and components can then be naturally added to the construction.

[0005] When components such as mechanical, optical, or electrical components (or, if not specifically, electronic components) are manufactured or mounted onto a thin-film substrate such as a thermoplastic film, a piece of fabric, or a sheet of leather, the substrate or other layers around the component, or at least indirectly connected to the component, may subsequently be subjected to forces involving, for example, torsion, stretching, compression, or bending, which may cause the component (or the substrate itself, if not) to break or detach from the attached component.

[0006] Combined with components or other components such as electronic device packages (e.g., thin quad flat packages (TQFP)) that can be said to have many preferred characteristics (such as fairly manageable contact density from the perspective of IMSE technology, for example), it has been further found that such components can easily trap air beneath them during various processing stages such as overmolding, which may in turn reduce the actual size of the associated contact area.

[0007] However, directly embedding, for example, TQFPs and other packages or general components, as in rigid resin, has not yet been found to be a fully suitable method, especially in scenarios involving wide temperature ranges, because there is a large mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between related features, which may eventually lead to structural tearing and failure. Larger packages or components may also be challenging in certain processing stages, such as molding (e.g., thermoforming) the carrier substrate film, because related contacts may be torn and lost.

[0008] When the stiffness of the structure changes drastically, considering the location of the edges of components (such as assemblies or modules) that may not be fully filled on the substrate film, large transients of film deformation may occur due to stretching during thermoforming, which in turn can put excessive stress on adjacent, potentially more fragile materials (such as insulating layers, conductive layers, and / or color ink layers).

[0009] Typically, components such as conductor traces or associated cross-structures are prone to tearing and failure when positioned near extreme radii relative to the surface profile of the substrate film. For example, the conductive ink used in cross-structures may be more brittle than standard conductive inks, increasing the risk of failure near substrates with significant curvature, such as insulator boundaries. Insulator prints are generally more tensile-resistant, thus causing transient deformation at their edges, most notably at the insulator ends and where the overlying cross-conductive ink connects to the more standard conductive ink.

[0010] Furthermore, when using harder materials, such as conductive inks (as opposed to substrates such as plastic films themselves), to create large features such as shielding shadows or antennas on a 3D (substrate) surface, the harder materials may cause undesirable effects, such as deformation, folding, or even tearing of the surrounding features on the film and the film itself, which may damage the workpiece. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The object of the present invention is to at least mitigate one or more of the disadvantages associated with known solutions in the context of an integral structure, wherein at least some of the included or to-be-included features, such as a substrate (film), are subjected to deformation-induced forces, for example, during the processing or manufacture of the structure, the installation of the structure, or the use of the structure.

[0012] The objective is achieved through various embodiments of the integrated functional multilayer structure and related methods for providing the integrated functional multilayer structure.

[0013] According to a first aspect, an integrated functional multilayer structure is provided. The multilayer structure includes a substrate film that is shaped or can be shaped (optionally thermoformed) to exhibit a selected, preferably three-dimensional non-planar shape. Furthermore, the multilayer structure includes a plurality of functional elements, which preferably comprise, for example, optical elements, mechanical elements, optoelectronic elements, electrical elements and / or specifically electronic elements, such as conductors, e.g., traces or “wiring,” insulators, components, and / or integrated circuits, disposed on the substrate film at a certain proximity to the shaped non-planar shape. The substrate film is further provided with a structural adjustment element, which optionally includes or defines an elongated shape, a circumferential shape, and / or other selected shape. The structural adjustment element is configured to locally control, for example, process-induced deformation, such as molding-induced deformation, of the substrate film within the proximity of the shape, which optionally includes stretching, bending, compression, and / or shearing, the shape including, for example, a shaped non-planar shape or composed thereof. The structural adjustment element may comprise, for example, a conductive material (e.g., conductive ink) or an electrically insulating material (e.g., insulating ink or, for example, plastic / polymer, ceramic, or glass). For example, adjustment elements can typically be mountable or printable.

[0014] For example, a substrate film contained in a multilayer structure can refer to an element in which one of the three dimensions (e.g., z, as "thickness") is significantly shorter than the other two dimensions (e.g., x and y). The substrate film can be flexible and bendable, at least in some places. However, the substrate film may initially be flat.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the multilayer structure may further include a plastic layer, optionally a thermoplastic layer, said plastic layer being produced, optionally molded, such as by injection molding or casting, on the substrate film and embedding at least a portion of the multiple functional elements and / or at least a portion of the structural adjustment elements in said plastic layer.

[0016] In various embodiments, the substrate film may define or at least partially include a 3D, preferably thermoformed, non-planar shape, and the structure adjustment element may be configured to control the deformation of the substrate within proximity to the 3D non-planar shape, the deformation preferably including control of the distribution of deformation force in a selected direction.

[0017] However, one or more functional elements may include subassemblies and elements having their own substrate (“sub-substrate”), such as electrical or specific electronic elements carried by the (sub)substrate, such as electrical nodes.

[0018] In various embodiments, instead of arranging functional elements, such as electrical components, on the substrate film such that they substantially protrude from any side of the substrate film, the functional elements can be disposed in recesses, blind vias, or through-holes created in the substrate film. For example, recesses can be obtained by shaping the substrate film, such as thermoforming, before or after the functional elements are disposed thereon, such that the shape of the recess is defined by the substrate film. For example, vias, such as through-holes, or blind vias, can be obtained by removing substrate material or directly creating the substrate from an associated source material (e.g., by molding), for example, to define the via. Thus, the element can be at least partially accommodated by the recesses or vias of the substrate, such that the element does not protrude at all or at least does not significantly or completely protrude from the substrate film. Smaller recesses can still remain in the location of the element, partially filled by the element and optionally by a layer of molded or cast material or other features. By embedding the functional elements therein, a flush first surface can be provided for the substrate film.

[0019] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may be positioned to contact or be adjacent to at least one of the plurality of functional elements.

[0020] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment elements may alternatively or additionally be configured to locally restrict, reduce, or increase the deformation of the substrate film.

[0021] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally be configured to: limit, reduce, or increase the deformation slope; limit, reduce, or increase the amount of change in the slope; transfer the deformation region; shape the deformation region; limit, reduce, or increase the amount of deformation and / or extend or reduce the length of the deformation region or the transition between the deformation region and an adjacent, optionally substantially flat, substrate portion.

[0022] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally include a first material that is harder and preferably more tear-resistant than a second material comprising the substrate, any material layer on the substrate, or any functional element of the functional element, or vice versa.

[0023] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally include optionally printed electrically preferably insulating or conductive elements configured to reduce and / or remove slope and / or transition regions caused by deformation of the substrate film at the location of at least one of the plurality of functional elements, wherein the electrically preferably insulating or conductive elements are optionally integral with or adjacent to electrically insulating or conductive cross elements such as cross-printings, thereby further optionally establishing extensions of the cross elements.

[0024] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally include at least a portion configured to extend from the functional element toward the maximum deformation or associated slope and optionally expand or decrease.

[0025] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally comprise or substantially or solely consist of at least one element selected from the group consisting of: mechanical elements, optical functional elements, elements provided by printed electronics, electrically insulating elements, conductive elements, electrically insulating elements provided by printed electronics, electrically conductive elements provided by printed electronics, additive manufacturing elements, sputtering elements, deposition elements, vacuum deposition elements, etching elements, additively manufactured conductive elements, additively manufactured electrically insulating elements, engraving elements, thinned or thickened portions of larger elements such as conductive elements or electrically insulating elements, cavities, recesses, through-holes, subtractive manufacturing elements, subtractive manufactured conductive elements, subtractive manufactured electrically insulating elements, physical extensions of conductive elements such as conductor traces or contact pads, physical extensions of electrically insulating elements such as insulating fillers or electrically cross-insulating layers, and optical functional elements such as transmission, refraction, diffraction, opacity, absorption, scattering, or reflection elements.

[0026] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally include at least a portion of a frame surrounding any of the functional elements on the substrate film, wherein the at least portion of the frame optionally includes a conductive material, such as conductive ink, silver ink, dielectric ink or other electrically insulating material, colored ink, adhesive and / or SMD adhesive.

[0027] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally be further configured to guide, restrict, or prevent the flow of material, optionally bottom filler, conductive adhesive, conductive or insulating ink, wetting agent, surface energy-affecting substance, or dome material, disposed in a flowable state on the substrate film or any of the functional elements, optionally to maintain it within a circumferential boundary region defined by the structural adjustment element. This region may have a selected shape, area, and / or volume, at least partially defined by the adjustment element. Therefore, in this and other embodiments, the material of the adjustment element may be configured to define, for example, guiding structures such as walls, conduits, grooves, and / or containers to achieve the desired control function of the flow of the target material.

[0028] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally include a frame, optionally a snap-on frame or a printed frame, which is connected to or at least adjacent to at least one of a plurality of functional elements, optionally such as an electronic device package, mechanical or optical element.

[0029] The multilayer structure, adjustment elements, and / or specifically, for example, the frame described above, may optionally further include at least one element selected from the group consisting of: an adhesive between the substrate film and the functional element, a spacer between the substrate film and the functional element, a mechanical blocking element, an optical blocking element, an electrically insulating blocking element, a blocking element between conductive portions or elements on the substrate film and / or the functional element, an adhesive conductive adhesive placed on conductive portions such as leads of the functional element, preferably a low-viscosity capillary-flowable bottom filler between the substrate film and the assembly of the frame and the functional element, and an embedding material layer such as a ball top layer above at least the assembly of the frame and the functional element.

[0030] When the adjusting element defines a guiding structure for flowable materials such as conductive adhesives, inks, solders, wetting agents, substances affecting surface energy, and / or underfill materials, such as a conduit or container, the guiding structure may be specifically configured to allow the flowable material to contact one of the plurality of functional elements in its flow state and preferably flow toward or away from the functional element after the element is placed on or near the guiding structure.

[0031] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally include a mechanical stress relief structure, which preferably includes a plurality of fins, teeth, and / or gradually expanding or contracting extensions.

[0032] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally include optionally (printed electronics) printed patterns. The patterns may consist of multiple, for example, nonlinear or only piecewise linear and / or discontinuous, preferably repeating and / or alternating, shapes that define or at least combine said shapes, optionally including V-shapes, wherein the area spanned by said pattern optionally defines electromagnetic shielding or antenna radiation, such as an antenna structure.

[0033] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally comprise an optional printed gradient pattern having multiple repeating geometries or a diffuse pattern having a substantially uniform shape, the size and / or other characteristics of the repeating geometries gradually changing within the pattern.

[0034] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the pattern can be configured for optical control, such as guiding, processing, or coupling, relative to the substrate film or elements on the substrate film, optionally including input optical coupling or output optical coupling.

[0035] According to a second aspect, a method for generating an integrated multilayer structure is provided. The method includes:

[0036] - Obtain a substrate film, said substrate film comprising a formable, optionally thermoformable, material;

[0037] - A plurality of functional elements, each containing at least one functional element, are disposed on the substrate film; and

[0038] The substrate film is preferably further provided with a structural adjustment element within a certain proximity of any of the functional elements, the structural adjustment element being configured to locally control the process-induced deformation of the substrate.

[0039] In various embodiments, the method may further include shaping the substrate film to exhibit a selected deformation in the proximity of the functional element, the selected deformation optionally including a three-dimensional non-planar shape.

[0040] In various embodiments of the method, the structural adjustment element may be arranged to control the deformation of the substrate within a certain proximity to the three-dimensional non-planar shape, the control preferably including the control of the distribution of deformation forces during non-planar shape-induced deformation of the substrate film.

[0041] In various embodiments, the method may alternatively or additionally include producing a plastic layer on a substrate film, preferably by molding such as injection molding or casting, the plastic layer at least partially embedding one or more of the functional elements and / or the structural adjustment elements.

[0042] For example, preferably reusable or disposable film-like and / or container-type molds can be used to contain and shape a layer of molding material during curing, wherein the mold optionally includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of: metal, plastic, fiber, wood, textile or fabric, lignin, ceramic, and sacrificial material. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the mold, such as a layer, can also form part of the finished product structure, such as a (protective) layer thereon.

[0043] In various embodiments of the method, the structural adjustment element may alternatively or additionally be disposed on the substrate film using at least one technique selected from the group consisting of: additive manufacturing techniques, preferably using selected printed electronics techniques for printing, mounting, sputtering, deposition, and subtractive processing of the substrate film or the elements on the substrate film, such as etching, cutting or engraving.

[0044] This invention offers various advantages over a number of known solutions, which naturally depend on their specific embodiments. A key advantage is that the various embodiments of the invention allow for more complex and reliable IMSE designs because substrate deformation can be better controlled, for example, in terms of position and extent, such as more precise control. For instance, the enhanced deformation control in the various embodiments of the invention results in, for example, functional elements such as fragile components not being damaged and / or disassembled.

[0045] Based on the following detailed description of some embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will clearly understand various other advantages.

[0046] The expression “many” in this text can refer to any positive integer starting from one (1).

[0047] The expression “multiple” can refer to any positive integer starting from two (2).

[0048] Unless otherwise explicitly stated, the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” and “fourth” are used herein to distinguish one element from one or more other elements and do not specifically prioritize or rank the elements.

[0049] The exemplary embodiments of the invention presented herein should not be construed as limiting the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" is used herein as an open limitation that does not exclude the presence of features not yet enumerated. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the various embodiments and features described, for example, in the dependent claims, can be freely combined with each other.

[0050] The novel features considered characteristic of the invention are specifically set forth in the appended claims. However, the invention itself, as well as its other objects and advantages, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0051] In the accompanying drawings, some embodiments of the invention are shown by way of example rather than limitation.

[0052] Figure 1 An embodiment of the multilayer structure according to the present invention is shown.

[0053] Figure 2 An embodiment of a potential element to be arranged on a substrate film of a multilayer structure is shown, in which the potential element is specifically a component with a function such as an electrical functional node type.

[0054] Figure 3 An embodiment of the structural adjustment element according to the present invention is shown.

[0055] Figure 4 An embodiment of a structural adjustment element is shown, which can be configured to incorporate, for example, cross and / or connector structures on a substrate.

[0056] Figure 5 A circuit design disposed on a substrate is shown, which is used to receive electronic components and provide electrical connections between them.

[0057] Figure 6 An embodiment of a structural adjustment element connected to functional components such as electronic components is shown.

[0058] Figure 7 An embodiment of the structural adjustment element is shown.

[0059] Figure 8 Examples of gradient patterns used as structural adjustment elements and / or other functional elements (such as optical functional elements) are shown.

[0060] Figure 9 Another embodiment of the patterned structure adjustment element is shown.

[0061] Figure 10 An example of the use of a structural adjustment element connected to a three-dimensional substrate and an overall structure is shown.

[0062] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of an embodiment of the method according to the present invention.

[0063] Figure 12 Two embodiments of structural adjustments and related adjustment elements connected to material or component transitions or joints are shown.

[0064] Figure 13 An embodiment of a structural adjustment element is shown, which is connected to a connector structure of two components such as a conductor. Detailed Implementation

[0065] Figure 1 Embodiments of a multi-layer structure 100 according to the present invention are shown, such as an integrated functional multi-layer structure 100. For example, the structure 100 itself can build upon a final product such as an electrical or electronic device, or it can be attached to or installed on a final product after manufacturing.

[0066] The multilayer structure 100 may include a substrate film 102, such as a flexible substrate film, which is shaped or can be shaped to exhibit a selected shape 103, such as a 3D shape, like a bend, recess, or protrusion. The structure 100 may preferably further include a plurality of functional elements 110, 112, 114, which preferably include optical elements, mechanical elements, optoelectronic elements, electrical elements, and / or specifically electronic elements, such as conductors 112, insulators 114, components 110, and / or integrated circuits 110, which are disposed on the substrate film 102 in a certain proximity to each other in the shape 103. The substrate film 102 may further be provided with one or more structural adjustment elements 116, which optionally include an elongated shape, a circumferential shape, or other selected shapes. The structural adjustment element 116 can be configured to locally, i.e., substantially at the transition region 103B, control (e.g., limit or reduce) induced deformation of the substrate film 102 within the aforementioned proximity of the shape 103, such as (thermal) forming, other process, or time-induced deformation, which optionally includes stretching, bending, compression, and / or shearing. For example, such control may be preferred to prevent the functional element 110 from breaking, separating, or otherwise being disturbed by the shape 103. Figure 1 As shown, the structural adjustment element 116 can be at least partially positioned within the transition region introduced into the substrate film 102 by the shape 103. The functional element 110 can be considered to be located within (at its edge) or at least adjacent to the transition region 103B.

[0067] In various additional or supplementary embodiments, multiple functional elements, such as conductors and / or connection / contact elements, such as at least some functional elements in pads, include at least one material selected from the group consisting of: conductive ink, conductive nanoparticle ink, copper, steel, iron, tin, aluminum, silver, gold, platinum, conductive adhesive, carbon fiber, alloy, silver alloy, zinc, brass, titanium, solder, and any components thereof. The conductive material used may be optically opaque, translucent, and / or transparent at desired wavelengths such as visible light, to, for example, shield radiation such as visible light or to reflect, absorb, or allow said radiation to pass through.

[0068] In various embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the multilayer structure 100 may further include a plastic layer 104, optionally a thermoplastic layer, which is produced, optionally molded, such as by injection molding or casting, on a substrate film 102 and embeds at least a portion of the functional elements 110, 112, 114 and / or at least a portion of the structural adjustment elements 116 in the plastic layer.

[0069] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the multilayer structure 100 may include a second substrate 106, such as a second substrate film, disposed on the opposite side of the plastic layer 104 relative to the substrate film 102. In such embodiments, the plastic layer 104 may be produced, optionally molded, such as injection molded or cast, between the substrate film 102 and the second substrate 106, and at least a portion of the functional elements 110, 112, 114 and / or at least a portion of the structural adjustment elements 116 are embedded in the plastic layer.

[0070] Furthermore, the first connection 108, whether wired (e.g., providing an electrical connection) or wireless (e.g., via radio, photoelectric, or optical devices), may be arranged to extend through or across the plastic layer 104. Optionally, the first connection 108 may be configured to connect or establish a connection between at least one functional element 110, 112, 114 or any element on the substrate film 102 and a second substrate 106 having functional elements thereon.

[0071] As described above, the substrate film 102 may include a 3D, optionally thermoformed, or otherwise (e.g., induced during the use or manufacture of the multilayer structure 100) non-planar shape 103. The induced shape 103 may be substantially permanent (molded, drilled, cut, or, for example, thermoformed) or temporary (e.g., held in place when the structure 100 or its components, such as the film 100, are subjected to external forces). The structure adjustment element 106 may be configured to control the deformation of the substrate film 102 within a certain proximity to the 3D non-planar shape, said control preferably including the control of the deformation force, for example, as... Figure 1The distribution of the substrate film 102 in a selected direction indicated by the tangent 118 or slope 118 at a location or transition region 103B that is substantially located on the surface of the substrate film 102 in a non-planar shape 103.

[0072] The substrate film 102 and optional second substrate film 106 used can refer to a rigid or flexible (and bendable) substrate film, for example, in which one of the three dimensions (e.g., z, as “thickness”) is significantly shorter than the other two dimensions (e.g., x and y). Therefore, substrate films 102, 106 can, at least initially, be substantially planar or planar substrates. However, substrate films 102, 106 can initially or after processes such as 3D forming (e.g., thermoforming) define a 3D shape 103, such as a bent or folded shape, either generally or partially.

[0073] In various embodiments, substrate films 102, 106 may comprise materials such as plastics, thermoplastic polymers, and / or organic or biological materials such as wood, leather, or fabric, or any of these materials combined with or composed of each other or with plastics, polymers, or metals. Substrate film 102 may comprise or be composed of thermoplastic materials. The thickness of the film may vary depending on the embodiment; for example, the thickness may be only a tenth or a hundredth of a millimeter or significantly thicker, with an amount of one millimeter or several millimeters.

[0074] The substrate film 102 and optionally the second substrate (film) 106 may, for example, include at least one material selected from the group consisting of: polymers, thermoplastic materials, electrically insulating materials, PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), polycarbonate (PC), copolyesters, copolyester resins, polyimide, copolymers of methyl methacrylate and styrene (MS resin), glass, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), carbon fiber, organic materials, biomaterials, leather, wood, textiles, fabrics, metals, organic natural materials, solid wood, veneer, plywood, bark, tree bark, birch bark, cork, natural leather, natural textiles or fabric materials, naturally grown materials, cotton, wool, flax, silk, and any combination thereof. If a second substrate 106 is present, the second substrate may differ from the first substrate film 102, for example, in size, shape, and / or material.

[0075] As previously mentioned, in various embodiments, considering, for example, predetermined wavelengths in the visible spectrum, the materials of the substrate films 102, 106 and / or additional layers may be at least partially optically opaque or at least translucent. This also applies, for example, to the molded or cast plastic layer 104. Optionally defining at least a portion of the exterior (surface) of the multilayer structure 100, or at least the relevant elements visible or otherwise perceptible thereto, such as thin-film substrates, coatings or other layers, may have been provided with a plurality of visually distinguishable, decorative / aesthetic and / or informational features, such as graphic patterns and / or colors thereon or therein. These features may be disposed on the same side of the substrate film 102 as the functional elements 110, 112, 114, such that the features are also at least partially sealed, or on the opposite side, and therefore, the material of, for example, the plastic layer 104 may or may not be sealed by the associated overmolding. Thus, IML (In-Mold Labeling) / IMD (In-Mold Decoration) technology is applicable. The materials used can be at least partially, that is, at least in some places, optically substantially transparent to radiation such as visible light emitted by electronic devices on the material. For example, the transmittance can be about 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or higher.

[0076] Regarding plastic layer 104, the plastic layer may comprise thermoplastic and / or thermosetting materials. The thickness of the molded or otherwise produced layer may vary depending on the embodiment. For example, the thickness may be on the order of less than one millimeter, one millimeter, several millimeters, or tens of millimeters. The material may be, for example, electrically insulating. The layer may comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of: elastic resins, thermosetting materials, thermoplastic materials, PC, PMMA, ABS, PET, copolyesters, copolyester resins, nylon (PA, polyamide), PP (polypropylene), TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), polystyrene (GPPS), TPSiV (silicone thermoplastic vulcanizate), and MS resin.

[0077] In various embodiments, selected features, such as graphics, colors, or other visual characteristics, may be disposed on the inner surface or layer of structure 100. Therefore, various impacts, friction, chemicals, etc., that could easily damage surface features, such as those painted, printed, or mounted, will not affect or reach the embedded / non-surface features. Related overlays, such as thin films or elastic (filler) materials, may be manufactured or processed, optionally cut, engraved, etched, or drilled into desired shapes with necessary features, such as holes or notches, to expose underlying features, such as material layers, or, for example, electronic components, to the environment to a selected extent.

[0078] Referring to a single element or a group of constituent elements that together constitute the structural adjustment element 116 from a functional perspective, various examples of the structural adjustment element 116 will be described below. Examples can describe the characteristics of the structural adjustment element 116, which may be explicitly present or exist as one or more characteristics described together with other examples in the examples.

[0079] The structural adjustment element 116 according to various embodiments of the present invention may include at least one element selected from the group consisting of: mechanical elements, optical functional elements, elements provided by printed electronics technology, electrically insulating elements, conductive elements, electrically insulating elements provided by printed electronics, electrically conductive elements provided by printed electronics, additive manufacturing elements, sputtering elements, deposition elements, vacuum deposition elements, etching elements, additively manufactured conductive elements, additively manufactured electrically insulating elements, engraving elements, thinned or thickened portions of larger elements such as conductive elements or electrically insulating elements, cavities, recesses, through holes, elements produced by subtractive manufacturing or by subtractive manufacturing methods, subtractive manufactured conductive elements, subtractive manufactured electrically insulating elements, physical extensions of conductive elements such as conductor traces or contact pads, physical extensions of electrically insulating elements such as insulating fillers or electrically cross-insulating layers, and optical functional elements such as transmission, refraction, diffraction, opacity, absorption, scattering, or reflection elements.

[0080] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element 116 may preferably be positioned in contact with or adjacent to at least one of the plurality of functional elements 110, 112, 114, preferably close to it. For example, in Figure 1 In the transition region 103B shown, the structural adjustment element 116 is in contact with or at least adjacent to the element 110.

[0081] In various alternative or additional embodiments, the structural adjustment element 116 may be configured to locally restrict, reduce, or increase the deformation of the substrate film 102. For example, in Figure 1 In this configuration, the structural adjustment element 116 is arranged adjacent to element 110 to locally harden the substrate film 102. Therefore, when the shape of the substrate film 102 changes, i.e., deforms, such as... Figure 1 As shown on the left, the structural adjustment element 116 prevents or at least reduces the amount of deformation of the substrate film 102 at the transition region 103B (marked by an ellipse with a dashed line) associated with the shape 103. For example, if in Figure 1 If there is no structural adjustment element 116 on the substrate film 102 on the left side, the tangent 118 will deviate from the horizontal or even more (i.e., the slope / gradient will be higher), meaning that the deformation will cause more severe stress on the element 110, and may even separate or destroy the substrate film 102 during deformation.

[0082] For example, in various alternative or additional embodiments, the structural adjustment element 116 may be configured to limit, reduce, or increase the deformation slope 118, as described above. Alternatively or additionally, the structural adjustment element 116 may limit, reduce, or increase the magnitude of the change in slope 118. Still further, alternatively or additionally, the structural adjustment element 116 may transfer the deformed region 103B, or shape the deformed region 103B. Alternatively or additionally, the structural adjustment element 116 may limit, reduce, or increase the magnitude of the deformation 103 and / or extend or reduce the length of the transition region 103B or the transition between the transition region 103B and an adjacent, optionally substantially flat, substrate portion.

[0083] However, one or more functional elements may comprise, for example, subassemblies and components having their own substrate (“sub-substrate”), such as electrical or specific electronic components carried by the (sub)substrate. Examples of this can be found in… Figure 2 The diagram shows electrical functional node components 110 and 210, which can be considered as a whole as functional element 110.

[0084] Figure 2 An embodiment of a potential functional element 110 to be arranged on a substrate film 102 of a multilayer structure 100 is shown. In this example, the potential functional element is specifically a functionally similar electrical functional node assembly 210. Figure 2 The diagram shows an exploded view of an embodiment of nodes 110 and 210. Nodes 110 and 210 may include, for example, functional elements such as electronic devices, a first material layer 208 or filler material 208, a housing 210, a protective pattern 202 such as a printed pattern, a bottom filler 206, and electrical contacts 204, on a substrate film 102 (which may be multilayered). Optionally, at least a portion or even the entire node 110 and 210 may be encapsulated or embedded, for example, protected, by plastic layers 104 and 212, such as injection-molded plastic layers. For example, layer 212 may be made of a thermoplastic material.

[0085] exist Figure 2 According to some embodiments of the invention, for example, a protective pattern or printout 202 may include at least a portion of a structural adjustment element 116, which is at least part of the pattern. The protective pattern 202 on the substrate film 102 may therefore include structural adjustment elements 116, such as those on the peripheral portion of the pattern 202, which may include elongated shapes. The structural adjustment element 116 may, for example, be configured to locally restrict, reduce, or increase deformation of the substrate film 102, such as near connector pins of electrical nodes 110, 210.

[0086] In various embodiments, the first material layer 208 may define at least a portion of the outer surface of nodes 110, 210. However, as those skilled in the art will understand, the first material layer 208 may be covered, at least in some places, i.e. selectively, by additional materials such as selected coatings or thin film layers, or particularly when mounted in a main structure, such as on a main substrate, by a thicker material layer 212 optionally above nodes 110, 210, such as a material layer that may be molded or cast.

[0087] As considered above, the substrate film 102 used for node 210 or the associated host structure can refer to a rigid or flexible substrate, for example, in which one of the three dimensions (e.g., z, as “thickness”) is significantly shorter than the other two dimensions (e.g., x and y). Typically, the substrate film is made of or has an electrically insulating material disposed thereon.

[0088] In various embodiments, for example, the hardness of at least one material of the first material layer 208 may preferably be about 85 or less on Shore scale A, or about 40 or less on Shore scale D.

[0089] In various embodiments, the elastic modulus of at least one material of the first material layer 208 is preferably about 2000 MPa or less, more preferably about 500 MPa or less, and most preferably about 100 MPa or less.

[0090] Therefore, if the relatively soft material (lower hardness and / or lower elastic modulus) does not substantially constitute the first material layer 208 (e.g., substrate or filler), then the relatively soft material (can be used as at least one component of the first material layer).

[0091] In various embodiments, the first material layer 208 may adhere to a preferably flowable / flowable and more preferably subsequently cured, preferably plastic material, which is then positioned in contact with the first material layer and optionally selected from the group consisting of: thermoplastic materials, polymers or similar materials, lignin or similar materials, TPU, polymers, elastomers, PC, PMMA, ABS, PET, PA (polyamide), GPPS, PCPA (pentachlorophenyl acrylate), cellulose-based thermoplastic materials, and MS resins. The plastic material can typically be molded or cast, for example, onto the first material layer and nodes.

[0092] In various embodiments, the first material layer 208 may adhere to a material subsequently disposed in contact with the first material layer 208, and optionally be selected from the group consisting of: metal, wood, solid wood, veneer, plywood, leather, bark, birch bark, cork, leather, fabric or textile, natural leather, natural textile or fabric material, textile material, cotton, wool, hemp, silk, formable material, thermoformable material, cold-formable material, epoxy resin, multi-component epoxy resin, ink, and conductive ink.

[0093] In various embodiments, the first material layer 208 may be selected and / or processed to adhere to the substrate film 102 and / or the material of the at least one functional or specifically electrical component. The relevant material preferably includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of: polymers, conductive polymers, thermoplastic materials, organic materials, elastomer materials, electrically insulating materials, PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), polycarbonate (PC), polyimide, copolymers of methyl methacrylate and styrene (MS resin), glass, organic materials, fibrous materials, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), metals, wood, solid wood, veneer, plywood, bark, bark, birch bark, cork, (natural) leather, (natural) textiles or fabric materials, textile materials, cotton, wool, linen, silk, formable materials, thermoformable materials, cold-formable materials, gold, copper, tin, silver, palladium, solder resist, thermosetting solder resist, UV-curable solder resist, epoxy resin, lignin or similar materials, cellulose-based materials, multi-component epoxy resins, inks, and conductive inks.

[0094] In various embodiments, the first material layer 208 may comprise or be composed of a material with or related to the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), wherein the CTE is between about 1 and 300 ppm / K, more preferably between about 10 and 200 ppm / K, and most preferably in the range of about 25 and 80 ppm / K. The thermal expansion characteristics (such as the coefficient) of some materials may vary significantly with temperature, a fact that should be recognized by those skilled in the art when considering the suitability of various materials for such characteristics and when considering, for example, the possible temperatures that the associated materials will ultimately experience during use or storage. Similar considerations apply to material elasticity.

[0095] In various embodiments, the first material layer 208 may include a variety of fillers in a composite material and / or a host material. Optionally, the first material layer may include or be composed of multiple sublayers, and / or the first material layer may include mutually different material compositions, preferably organized in sublayers, having characteristic functional properties such as refractive index or other optical properties to establish a selected optical function.

[0096] In various embodiments, the first material layer 208 may include or be substantially composed of a thermally conductive material, which may optionally be provided in the form of one or more fillers. The filler material may, for example, be mixed as particles with other materials that may be dominant in the first material.

[0097] In various embodiments, selectively including visible light with regard to a chosen wavelength, the first material layer 208 may comprise or consist of an optically substantially transparent and / or colorless material, which is substantially preferably chemically inert to discoloration when exposed to heat or high-energy photons. The material of the first material layer 208 may additionally or alternatively have various other desired properties, locally or generally, in terms of, for example, electrical conductivity (conductive / insulating, thus considering, for example, metallic materials such as silver or copper, from which desired conductive or insulating characteristics such as conductors or shielding for, for example, encapsulating electronic devices).

[0098] However, in some embodiments, the material of the first material layer 208 can be used for photon down- or up-conversion. The material can be at least locally luminescent. For example, the material can be used as a scintillator excited by radiation. Thus, for example, a radiation detector can be fabricated. Nevertheless, the first material layer can be configured and used for electromagnetic field dissipation or amplification, thermal conduction or insulation, and / or light diffusion (or alternative light control), and other options.

[0099] The first material layer 208 may include, for example, a base (body) material and fillers to achieve the desired function. In various embodiments, the substrate film 102 may include at least one element selected from the group consisting of: a planar part of the substrate material, a printed circuit board, a rigid printed circuit board, a flexible printed circuit board, an FR4-based circuit board, a ceramic electrical substrate (e.g., HTCC or LTCC; i.e., high-temperature or low-temperature co-fired ceramic), a multilayer circuit board, a 3D-molded substrate such as a thermoforming substrate, an additively manufactured (3D-printed) single-layer or multilayer circuit board, an additively manufactured circuit board including electrically insulating and conductive materials, a multilayer substrate, a thin film substrate, a flexible thin film substrate, a 3D-molded substrate, a thermoforming substrate, a molded substrate, an injection-molded substrate, an extruded substrate, a thermoformable substrate, a thermoplastic substrate, a polymer substrate, a printed thin film substrate, and a patterned conductive polymer substrate.

[0100] In various embodiments, a node may include or at least be thermally coupled (if not physically coupled) to a thermal management element, optionally cooling or heating the element, and further optionally including at least one element selected from the group consisting of: a radiator, a heat sink, and a thermal well.

[0101] In various embodiments, the first material layer is defined generally with respect to nodes of the first material layer as a whole, or locally at one or more locations, in at least one shape selected from the group consisting of: a cross-sectional shape, a rectangle, a trapezoid, a frustum, an isosceles trapezoid, an isosceles trapezoid with a shorter base facing the substrate film, an isosceles trapezoid with a longer base facing the substrate film, a rounded shape, a rounded rectangle, a rounded isosceles trapezoid, a triangle, a rounded triangle, a semicircle, a dome, a convex shape, a bell shape, a mushroom shape, a cone shape, a semi-ellipse, and a teardrop or column shape.

[0102] In various embodiments, the at least one functional or specific, such as at least partially electrical element, comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of: electronic components, integrated circuits, electromechanical components, active components, passive components, electrical conductors, printed electrical conductors, printed electronically generated electrical conductors, electrodes, contact pads, conductor traces, electro-optic (or optoelectronic) components, radiation-emitting components, light-emitting components, LEDs (light-emitting diodes), OLEDs (organic LEDs), side-emitting LEDs or other light sources, top-emitting LEDs or other light sources, down-emitting LEDs or other light sources, radiation detection components, light detection or photosensitive components, photodiodes, phototransistors, photovoltaic devices, sensors, micromechanical components, switches, touch switches. Off, touch panels, proximity switches, touch sensors, atmospheric sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, moisture sensors, gas sensors, proximity sensors, capacitive switches, capacitive sensors, projected capacitive sensors or switches, single-electrode capacitive switches or sensors, capacitive buttons, multi-electrode capacitive switches or sensors, self-capacitance sensors, mutual capacitance sensors, inductive sensors, sensor electrodes, microelectromechanical (MEMS) components, UI elements, user input elements, vibration elements, sound-generating elements, communication elements, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, antennas, resonators, wireless communication elements, wireless tags, radio tags, tag readers, data processing elements, data storage or memory elements, and electronic subassemblies.

[0103] In various embodiments, node 210 may include a second substrate on the side of the first material layer 208 opposite to the side facing the substrate film 102, and at least one functional element thereon, such as an electronic component, wherein the second substrate is optionally configured to attach the electrical node to the main structure or specifically the main substrate. Thus, the (first) substrate and the second substrate can form a stacked structure having, for example, an electronic device and at least a portion of the first material layer 208 therebetween.

[0104] Figure 3 An embodiment of the structural adjustment element 316 or (a set of) elements 316 according to the present invention is shown at position 300. Figure 3In this context, the adjusting element 316, preferably an electrically insulating material or insulating filler, is an example of a pattern designed to gradually make deformation of the substrate film 102 locally easier as a generally substantially non-deformable component, such as an electrical node, can be coupled to the upper or upper central region 320 and continue to the remainder of the film. Together with the insulating element 114, element 316 establishes a gradually sparse structure of the electrically insulating material. The structural adjusting element 316 is configured, or at least designed, to prevent conductors (in...) from fanning out from the central region 320 and being susceptible to thermal forming... Figure 3 The tear is shown in the image as having a U-shape. It can be seen that, in this case, the structural adjustment element 316 can have, but is not limited to, an elongated shape.

[0105] Figure 4 An embodiment of a structural adjustment element 416 is shown, which can be configured to connect to, for example, a cross and / or connector structure 400, such as on a substrate film 102.

[0106] In various embodiments, conductive elements 112B can be arranged with conductive ink on substrate film 102 and, for example, below printed insulating element 414, for example, by printing. Conductive elements 112B can be configured to connect (associated connectors are shown as circles 412 in the figures) to other conductive elements, such as conductive traces 112 having, for example, printable properties and possibly established by conductive ink. The materials of conductive elements 112B and 112 can be the same or different. For example, the conductive material used in one or more cross-region elements such as conductive element 112B can be more brittle in some embodiments than, for example, the material used in trace 112. Furthermore, alternatively, other conductors or functional elements not explicitly shown can be arranged in the cross-structure.

[0107] Another embodiment of a structural adjustment element 416 is shown, which is generated, for example, by printing (but not limited to printing) material on a substrate to make the deformation transients of the shape 103 affected by, for example, the cross insulator 414 less severe, and / or to remove the deformed shape 103 from the most sensitive part of the cross structure, such as the connector 412. For example, the adjustment element 416 may comprise an electrically insulating material. The adjustment element 416 may actually be constructed as an extension or protrusion of the cross insulator 414, or disposed separately from it (and thus essentially as a plurality / two (component) elements 416). Thus, the electrical connector 412 may be protected by the surrounding (“horn”) elongated element portion 416.

[0108] The structural adjustment element 416 can thus be arranged near the cross insulator 414, which will extend or transfer deformation transients from the more brittle cross ink 112B or associated connector 412, and optionally toward the more flexible conductive ink 112. The elongated structural adjustment element 416 is configured to extend beyond the more vulnerable element, thereby controlling (e.g., limiting) deformation at the vulnerable element.

[0109] In various embodiments, the structural adjustment element 416 may include a first material that is harder and preferably more tear-resistant than the substrate, any material layer on the substrate, or a second material of any of the functional elements, or vice versa. For example, electrically insulating printed materials such as insulating inks may be harder and more tear-resistant than conductive printed materials such as cross-area conductive inks as described above.

[0110] However, when using large, potentially in-mold components, modules, and / or electrical nodes, the structural adjustment element 416 can be used to limit deformation. In the case of nodes, for example, the stiffness of the substrate film 102 also changes drastically at the edges of potentially additional underfilled components / modules, resulting in large transients of the film 102 due to stretching during processing such as thermoforming. In the case of a layer of conductive ink, this further poses a risk of tearing. For example, in the case of stretching due to deformation, the structural adjustment element 416 can be arranged to be thinner beyond the vulnerable element.

[0111] Figure 4 The structural adjustment element 416 shown can be used to alleviate problems at near-extreme radius cross-insulator boundaries in the surface profile, as deformation can cause conductors, such as conductive ink, to tear near the cross structure, which is typically very brittle compared to ordinary conductive ink. The structural adjustment element 416 can be arranged to be more tensile-resistant, thereby inducing transient deformation at its edges (where the cross structure terminates), and the conductor at the cross is arranged to connect to another conductor extending outside the cross structure.

[0112] Figure 5 A circuit design 500 disposed on a substrate 102 is shown, the circuit design being used to receive electronic components and provide electrical connections between them. It can be seen that the circuit design 500 may include a single structural adjustment element 316 or multiple structural adjustment elements 316, such as a group of components, for example... Figure 3 and / or as Figure 4 The cross / connector structure 400 shown is illustrated.

[0113] Multiple structural adjustment elements 116, 316 can be arranged on the substrate film 102 to control the deformation of the substrate film 102 in a desired manner. This may require moving the transition region 103B or the deformable shape 103 away from vulnerable components such as larger components, or near electrical nodes or cross-connectors, or at least making them less prominent near vulnerable components. The structural adjustment elements 116 can have substantially any shape; however, elongated shapes may be advantageous in many cases.

[0114] Figure 6 An embodiment of a structural adjustment element 616 connected to functional element 110 is shown at 600, but it is not necessarily an electronic component such as a semiconductor component. Functional element 110 may be, for example, a microcontroller, a transceiver, an RF amplifier, etc.

[0115] In various embodiments of the multilayer structure 100, the substrate film 102 may be processed during its manufacture, for example by thermoforming or injection molding (e.g., overmolding), or subsequently used in a manner that causes deformation (e.g., twisting).

[0116] Functional elements 110, such as nodes or integrated circuits, typically include multiple components, which may optionally have a common housing, for example, having multiple pads, wires, and / or traces exiting or connected to the housing, such as... Figure 6 The scenario is illustrated. In various embodiments, functional elements 110 and related elements such as wiring / traces can be protected from deformation. This can be achieved by using various materials, such as silver conductive ink, dielectric ink, colored ink, and SMD adhesive, which have the property of limiting the elongation of the substrate film 102, such as thermoplastic or polyurethane film substrates or other substrates mentioned above.

[0117] For example, functional element 110 and optionally associated other elements, such as sections of mounting pads and / or connection traces 112, can be arranged to be protected within a boundary region or frame defined by structural adjustment elements 616 of selected materials as mentioned above. This allows for minimization or at least reduction of deformation, such as elongation, within the frame / region to ensure component mounting and, for example, (electrical) performance.

[0118] Adjustment element 616 may include or consist of a circumferential, surrounding material entity (a boundary, edge, or wall type of entity) that is at least partially or primarily circumferentially surrounding functional element 110. Element 616 may therefore have an empty or hollow center or a generally hollow internal region or volume. Alternatively, in addition to the surrounding portion, the internal region of element 616 may also be provided with associated adjustment material, thereby creating a more filled (if not substantially fully filled) frame or region structure.

[0119] For example, the adjustment element 616 may be disposed on the substrate 102 and / or the element 110 for protection by printing, mounting, and / or (overmolding). In some embodiments, the adjustment element 616 may be or at least comprise a thin film or other material already partially disposed on the substrate film 102. In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 The boundary region shown can be prepared or reinforced, for example, during injection molding, by using a variety of (e.g., two or more) different materials, which together will transform the dynamic subsequent elongation to occur primarily outside the protected boundary region.

[0120] By adjusting element 616 and in conjunction with various embodiments of stretchable products (such as wearable devices, fabric sensors, etc.), the shape 103 can remain constrained unless completely prevented within the boundary region / frame 616 due to dynamic stretching of, for example, the substrate film 102. In other words, within the boundary region, the elongation of the material can be kept moderate to ensure component mounting, trace connectivity, and electrical performance. Furthermore, outside the boundary region, dynamic stretching can occur to a greater extent, preferably still within the constraints of the conductors in use, such as conductive inks and other components therein, in some cases, which can be designed to maintain suitable elongation.

[0121] Figure 7 An embodiment of the structural adjustment element 716, which can further define or include a frame, is shown at 700; therefore, elsewhere in this document, for example, regarding... Figure 6 The considerations given are generally applicable now, and vice versa.

[0122] exist Figure 7 In this structure, functional elements 110, such as standard TQFP (Thin Quad Flat Package) and / or other medium contact density IC packages for the IMSE structure, can be disposed on the structure, typically on the substrate film 102. Such packages may include, but are not limited to, QFN (Quadrilateral Flat No Lead), SSOP (Shrink Small Outline Package), and TDFN (Thin Dual Flat No Lead). According to one embodiment, TQFPs can be considered particularly advantageous functional elements 110 because they typically have manageable contact density and therefore allow for reliable printing of contact pads.

[0123] For example, the material barrier structure provided by the adjusting element 716 can be configured to create a more rigid region on the substrate film 102, which restricts, for example, localized stretching during the molding of the film 102, thereby protecting components such as functional element 110. In various embodiments, the adjusting element 716 can be used, for example, to distribute interfacial stress over a longer gradient (slope), thereby reducing the risk of conductor breakage at interfaces that are typically abruptly discontinuous. Furthermore, since the barrier provided by element 716 can be used to block the flow of, for example, solder adhesive or other conductive materials, the contact material volume and contact surface area can be significantly increased due to the greatly reduced risk of short circuits. Still further, the outer edge of the barrier structure can be designed with stress-relief features, such as fins or thickness gradients, depending on the specific embodiment.

[0124] In some embodiments, element 716 may include, for example, a snap-fit ​​frame, such as for a TQFP-like package or others, particularly component-type functional element 110, in which case conductive material can be dispensed and mounted from the aforementioned leads after the element. In one embodiment, a pre-prepared frame can be snapped onto the element, and then the assembled assembly can be mounted to the substrate film 102, for example, under the element with a few drops of adhesive. Additionally, spacers, such as those printed below, can be arranged below the structure to ensure easy flow of, for example, capillary underfill. A viscous conductive adhesive can then be dispensed over the component leads. The viscosity prevents material from flowing under the frame; however, it allows for very large-area contact with the component leads and the exposed portions of the printed pads below. Further still, the entire structure can be underfilled with a low-viscosity capillary underfill, and may be dome-shaped / edge-shaped.

[0125] In various other embodiments, for example, a printed frame of the type of printed limiting structure may form, for example, a “pool” on the pads that guide outward flow during the mounting of the target functional element 110, such as a QFN or SSOP type component package. In some embodiments, a printed frame, for example, thick, such as about 15 or 20 μm thick (or thicker), may be produced on the substrate film 102. Conductive adhesive may be applied, for example, in large quantities, to the pads and the component pressed onto the frame. Excess adhesive, if present, will flow outward away from areas that could cause short circuits. In some cases, the printed frame may be poorly wetted by the conductive adhesive if the adhesive has excellent adhesion to the metal pads and the underlying printed contact pads. This can further help limit the diffusion of the adhesive and allow capillary wetting of the component pads. The frame restricts the flow of conductive adhesive to outward only when the component is pressed onto it, and if any spillage occurs, pressing the component into its position will cut off the contact by displacing the adhesive. The frame material preferably has at least some degree of elasticity to ensure reliable operation. In some embodiments, the printing frame may be provided or arranged with flow channels for further underfilling with capillary underfill.

[0126] Still, a pre-installed deep plastic frame or printed limiting structure (distributed above the pads for subsequent component mounting) can be formed on the substrate film 102. The pads can thus be isolated with a sufficiently high barrier to prevent adhesive flow and splashing during component 110 (assembly) mounting. The frame can be produced by cutting a suitable shape from a thin plastic sheet and securing it to the substrate film 102 with adhesive. Alternatively, the frame structure can be simply printed on the substrate film 102. If an (electrically) insulating material is provided on the substrate 102 in any case, this insulating material can also be used for this purpose, so it may not even be necessary to perform additional process stages to create the frame.

[0127] The provided frame can also be used to limit the diffusion of any dome material used.

[0128] However, in various embodiments, the barrier structure can be configured to limit the diffusion of the capillary bottom filler material applied to element 110, thereby reducing the risk that the material will eventually reach places where it should not be. For example, depending on the height of the barrier structure, it can also be a capping structure that completely seals element 110 into the flexible volume of the filler.

[0129] In view of the foregoing, other features of the structural adjustment element 716 or the multilayer structure can therefore be configured to define a barrier or constraint structure that protects, for example, electrical contacts from stretching during processes such as (thermo)forming. This allows the use of virtually any heat-resistant conductive adhesive.

[0130] Furthermore, barrier structures can limit diffusion, such as underfill and dome diffusion, which are often necessary when using larger component encapsulations in rigid resins such as PC or PMMA. The use of these materials in softer injection-molded resins is still recommended, as they help eliminate air traps, for example, from beneath, around, and between components.

[0131] However, various structural adjustment features (such as spikes or teeth) can be arranged from their extended frames, whether printed or pre-cut, to facilitate the embedding of certain more difficult components, such as flat inductors, because they can be neatly and repeatedly filled within the pool formed by the frame with a low-viscosity underfill material. This allows, for example, LED drivers to be embedded in plastic. In some embodiments, micromodule structures may include components directly mounted on the substrate film 102 using the frames described above and then filled together within the same frame and / or dome. In various embodiments, copper-based and solder-based modules or directly coupled components may be used.

[0132] Figure 8 An embodiment of a gradient pattern used as a structural adjustment element 116 or one or more such elements and / or other functional elements 110 such as optical functional elements is shown at 800.

[0133] Besides structural adjustments, or as a substitute for structural adjustments, gradient patterns, which can be used as, for example, optical guides or coupling patterns, can be easily generated automatically, such as through printing. Figure 8 The pattern of the structural adjustment element 816 shown can conveniently provide desired control, such as controlling the deformation of the substrate film 102, by gradually changing the printing characteristics of the pattern, such as the density and / or size of the printed elements, such as dots.

[0134] Figure 9 Another embodiment of the patterned structure adjustment element 916 is shown at 900, which, in addition to its use in electrical structures such as antennas / radiators and electromagnetic shielding, can also be used in various other (non-electrical) structures where a large surface area is typically set as a rigid material (e.g., ink-printed) and subjected to forces that cause deformation, such as (thermo) forming. The patterned structure adjustment element 916 can be used to control the deformation of the substrate film 102. The patterned structure adjustment element 916 can include, for example, a printed V-shaped structure, which can be used to modify the deformation mechanism, for example, in a hatch structure. In a typical hatch structure, long straight lines are provided, optionally printed with materials such as electrical conductors or insulators, which forces almost all deformation to stretch the relevant material, which may be even more troublesome in terms of material breakage than other deformation mechanisms such as shearing and / or bending. Figure 9 As can be seen, the patterned structural adjustment element 916 is used across... Figure 9The entire region, such as the target region, extends in no given direction without containing any continuous, long, straight segments of conductive material (or other materials, the properties of which depend on the use case described above), thus limiting the actual amount of stretching applied to the conductive ink or other pattern-providing material, while leaving more stretching space for the intermediate empty areas of the substrate film. Therefore, with the structure shown, material deformation, such as stretching, can be conveniently concentrated on those intermediate substrate regions lacking (printed) pattern features.

[0135] The patterned structure adjustment element 916 may include multiple elements defining a discontinuous pattern at the target area. However, the patterned structure adjustment element 916 can change deformation from stretching to bending and shearing, while still allowing some stretching and compression to conform to a shape that would normally result in wrinkles. In various embodiments, several different geometries can be considered to achieve this more flexible hatch structure.

[0136] Figure 10 The use of a structural adjustment element 1016, such as a (printed) frame, connected to a three-dimensional substrate, such as a deformable substrate film, and an integral structure 1000 is illustrated. It can be seen that the structural adjustment element 1016 can be arranged to control deformation at the location of the connecting element. The structural adjustment element 1016 advantageously prevents excessive deformation at vulnerable locations.

[0137] Figure 11 This is a flowchart 1100 of an embodiment of the method according to the invention. At the start of the method for manufacturing the multilayer structure 100, a startup phase 1102 may be performed. During startup, necessary tasks may occur, such as material selection (e.g., substrate), component and tooling selection, acquisition, calibration, and other configuration tasks. It is particularly important to note that individual component and material selections work together and survive the selected manufacturing and assembly processes, which naturally prioritizes prior checks based on manufacturing process specifications and component data sheets, or, for example, through prototypes resulting from investigation and testing. Therefore, equipment used such as molding / IMD (in-mold decoration), lamination, bonding, (thermo) forming, electronic device assembly, cutting, drilling, and / or printing equipment can be brought to operational status at this stage.

[0138] Step 1104 may refer to obtaining a substrate film, said substrate film comprising a formable, optionally thermoformable, material.

[0139] Steps 1108, 1109, 1110, and 1112 may refer to providing a plurality of functional elements, each including at least one functional element, on the substrate film. Step 1109 may refer to providing an electrical node or sub-assembly as a functional element on the substrate film.

[0140] At step 1113, the substrate film may preferably be further provided with a structural adjustment element within a certain proximity to any of the functional elements, the structural adjustment element being configured to locally control the process-induced deformation of the substrate film. This step may be performed before, simultaneously with, or after any or all of steps 1108, 1109, 1110, and 1112. Furthermore, the structural adjustment element may be arranged to control the deformation of the substrate film within a certain proximity to the three-dimensional non-planar shape, the control preferably including control of the distribution of deformation forces during the non-planar shape-induced deformation of the substrate film. The structural adjustment element may be disposed on the substrate film using, for example, at least one technique selected from the group consisting of: additive manufacturing techniques, preferably using selected printed electronics techniques such as printing, mounting, sputtering, deposition, and subtractive processing of the substrate film or elements on the substrate film, such as etching, cutting, or engraving.

[0141] In various embodiments, the method may further include: preferably after step 1113, shaping the substrate film 1114 to exhibit a selected deformation in the proximity of the functional element, the selected deformation optionally including a three-dimensional non-planar shape. For example, shaping 1114 may comprise thermoforming, vacuum forming, high-pressure forming, or cold forming.

[0142] In various embodiments, the method may include producing at least one plastic layer on a substrate film, preferably by molding such as injection molding or casting, the plastic layer at least partially embedding one or more of the functional elements and / or the structural adjustment elements therein.

[0143] Furthermore, in various embodiments, the method may include post-processing 1118 of the multilayer structure 100. This may mean, for example, cutting certain portions of the multilayer structure, slicing the multilayer structure, mounting the multilayer structure to a host device, or other known post-processing tasks understood by a person skilled in the art.

[0144] At point 1120, the method execution ends.

[0145] Figure 12 At 1200, a material transition, such as a (conductive) ink transition, and a corresponding joint between two elements 1216A (dashed line) and 1216B (solid line), which could represent, for example, electrical conductors. The joint involves a gradual, longer transition or gradient between materials provided by the shapes of the illustrated elements 1216A and 1216B and their positioning in the joint area, rather than replacing a sharp, step-like transition. Therefore, the joint area is typically enlarged, making the structure more resistant to deformations such as tension. The contact edge areas of elements 1216A and 1216B can therefore be considered as establishing structural adjustment elements in the illustrated scenario.

[0146] At 1202, redundancy is provided between the expanded elements 1216A and 1216B in the form of several slightly different joint positions through related nodes and branch sections. Clearly, the schemes of scenarios 1200 and 1202 can also be used in combination.

[0147] Figure 13 Another embodiment of a structural adjustment element is shown, which is connected to a connector structure 1300 for two components, such as a conductor. Figure 13 In this configuration, the two elements can be made of the same or different materials, preferably conductive materials or conductive traces. However, it can be seen that the first element of the two elements 1316A can be adapted to have an extension or extension portion (i.e., an integrated structural adjustment element) that extends relative to deformation (thus reducing or omitting deformation at the actual location of the joint) to surround and thus protect the joint 1300 between the two elements. The extension portion typically stiffens the structure. The second element of the two elements 1316B can therefore be connected only to the first element of element 1316A, or may additionally be adapted to include such a protective shape or integrated structural adjustment element. In some embodiments, the material of element 1316A can, for example, be stiffer than the material of element 1316B.

[0148] The scope of this invention is defined by the appended claims, together with their equivalents. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed embodiments are constructed for illustrative purposes only, and that other arrangements applying many of the principles described above can be readily prepared to best suit each potential use case.

Claims

1. A multi-layered structure with integrated functions, comprising: A substrate film, wherein the substrate film is shaped or can be shaped to exhibit a selected three-dimensional non-planar shape; as well as Multiple functional elements are disposed on the substrate film at a certain proximity to the shape; The substrate film is further provided with a structure adjustment element. The structural adjustment element is configured to locally control induced deformation of the substrate film within the proximity of the shape to protect a plurality of the functional elements on the substrate film from the induced deformation caused by molding to the selected three-dimensional non-planar shape and occurring during molding to the selected three-dimensional non-planar shape, wherein the proximity is within or at the edge of the deformation region of the substrate film caused or to be caused by the molding, the structural adjustment element is disposed on the substrate film prior to the molding, and wherein the structural adjustment element comprises: - Mechanical stress relief structures, including multiple fins, teeth, and / or gradually expanding or contracting extensions, and / or - A pattern defined by or at least combined with multiple nonlinear or piecewise linear and / or discontinuous shapes, and / or - A gradient pattern with multiple repeating geometries or a diffuse pattern with a consistent shape, wherein the size and / or other properties of the repeating geometries gradually change in the pattern.

2. The structure according to claim 1, further comprising a plastic layer formed on the substrate film and embedding at least a portion of the plurality of functional elements and / or at least a portion of the structural adjustment elements within the plastic layer.

3. The structure according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the three-dimensional non-planar shape is thermoformed, and the structure adjustment element is configured to control the deformation of the substrate within a certain proximity of the three-dimensional non-planar shape, the control including control of the distribution of the deformation force in a selected direction.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the structural adjustment element is positioned to contact or be adjacent to at least one of the plurality of functional elements.

5. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the structure adjustment element is configured to locally restrict, reduce, or increase the deformation of the substrate.

6. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the structure adjustment element is configured to: limit, reduce, or increase the deformation slope; limit, reduce, or increase the amount of change in the deformation slope; transfer the deformation region; shape the deformation region; limit, reduce, or increase the amount of deformation; and / or extend or reduce the length of the deformation region or the transition between the deformation region and an adjacent substrate portion.

7. The structure of claim 1, wherein the structural adjustment element comprises a first material that is harder than, or vice versa, the substrate, any material layer on the substrate, or any second material of any functional element of the functional element.

8. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the structure adjustment element comprises an element configured to reduce and / or remove slope and / or transition region caused by deformation of the substrate film at the location of at least one of the plurality of functional elements, wherein the element is integral with or adjacent to an electrically insulating or conductive cross element.

9. The structure of claim 1, wherein the structural adjustment element includes at least a portion configured to extend from the functional element toward the maximum deformation or associated slope.

10. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the structure adjustment element comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of: mechanical elements, optical functional elements, elements provided by printed electronics technology, electrically insulating elements, conductive elements, additive manufacturing elements, sputtering elements, deposition elements, etching elements, engraving elements, thinned or thickened portions of larger elements, cavities, recesses, through holes, subtractive manufacturing elements, physical extensions of conductive elements, physical extensions of electrically insulating elements, and transmission, refraction, diffraction, opacity, absorption, scattering, or reflection elements.

11. The structure of claim 1, wherein the structure adjustment element comprises at least a portion of the frame surrounding any of the functional elements located on the substrate film.

12. The structure of claim 1, wherein the structure adjustment element is further configured to guide, restrict, or prevent the flow of material disposed in a flowable state on the substrate film or any of the functional elements.

13. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the structural adjustment element comprises a frame, the frame being connected to or at least adjacent to at least one of the plurality of functional elements.

14. The structure of claim 1, wherein the structure adjustment element defines a guide structure for a flowable material, the guide structure being configured to enable the flowable material, in its flow state, to contact one of the plurality of functional elements and to flow toward or away from the functional element after the element is disposed on or near the guide structure.

15. The structure of claim 1, wherein the pattern is printed, and the plurality of nonlinear or piecewise linear and / or discontinuous shapes are repeated and / or alternate, wherein the area spanned by the pattern defines an electromagnetic shielding or radiating antenna structure.

16. The structure of claim 1, wherein the gradient pattern is printed.

17. The structure of claim 16, wherein the pattern is configured for optical guidance, processing or coupling relative to the substrate film or elements on the substrate film.

18. A method for generating an integrated multilayer structure, the method comprising: A substrate film is obtained, the substrate film comprising a formable material; A plurality of functional elements, each containing at least one functional element, are disposed on the substrate film; and The substrate film is further provided with a structure adjustment element configured to locally control process-induced deformation of the substrate caused by the substrate film being formed into a selected three-dimensional non-planar shape and to occur during the forming process, in order to protect a plurality of functional elements on the substrate film from deformation of the substrate film within a certain proximity of the shape, wherein the proximity of the shape is within or at the edge of the deformation area of ​​the substrate film to be caused by the forming process, the structure adjustment element being disposed on the substrate film prior to the forming process, wherein the structure adjustment element comprises: - Mechanical stress relief structures, including multiple fins, teeth, and / or gradually expanding or contracting extensions, and / or - A pattern defined by or at least combined with multiple nonlinear or piecewise linear and / or discontinuous shapes, and / or - A gradient pattern with multiple repeating geometries or a diffuse pattern with a consistent shape, wherein the size and / or other properties of the repeating geometries gradually change in the pattern.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising shaping the substrate film to exhibit selected deformation at a certain proximity to the functional element.

20. The method according to any one of claims 18 to 19, wherein the structural adjustment element is arranged to control the deformation of the substrate within a certain proximity of the three-dimensional non-planar shape.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming a plastic layer on the substrate film, the plastic layer at least partially embedding one or more of the functional elements and / or the structural adjustment elements.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the structural adjustment element is disposed on the substrate film using at least one technique selected from the group consisting of: additive manufacturing techniques, printing, mounting, sputtering, deposition using selected printed electronics techniques, and subtractive processing of the substrate film or elements on the substrate film.

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