Thin electronic device

Abstract

A thin electronic device includes a first sealing member, a second sealing member, a first circuit member, and a second circuit member. The first sealing member substantially includes a first film formed with an opening and includes a frame film. At least one of the first circuit member and the second circuit member includes an exposed portion and a sealing portion surrounding the exposed portion. The frame film has a thin film sealing portion and a circuit sealing portion. The thin film sealing portion is joined to the first film to surround the opening. The circuit sealing portion is joined to the sealing portion to surround the exposed portion. The device is formed with a closed space enclosed by the first sealing member and the second sealing member. The exposed portion is exposed to an external space located outside the device. The device has a thinner structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device including a circuit member sealed by a thin film. Background Art

[0002] For example, JP2001 - 332654A (Patent Document 1) discloses a device that can be made thinner, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Referring to Figure 14 , Patent Document 1 discloses a module (device) 90 having a built - in semiconductor chip. The device 90 includes a thermosetting resin composition (sealing resin) 92 and a circuit member 94 including a semiconductor chip 96 and a wiring pattern 98. The sealing resin 92 is formed such that the circuit member 94 is embedded therein. Then, the surface of the sealing resin 92 is polished, so that the device 90 becomes thinner.

[0004] For a device including a circuit member, it is necessary to further reduce the thickness. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a new device that can be made thinner.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention provides a thin - type electronic device including a first sealing member, a second sealing member, a first circuit member, and a second circuit member. The first sealing member includes a first film formed of a thin film as a base of the first sealing member and includes a frame film formed of a thin film. The first film is formed with an opening. The opening is surrounded by an edge portion forming a closed path. The frame film has a closed - path shape. At least one of the first circuit member and the second circuit member includes an exposed portion and a sealed portion. The exposed portion and the sealed portion face the first film. The sealed portion surrounds the exposed portion over its entire circumference. The frame film has a thin - film sealing portion and a circuit sealing portion. The thin - film sealing portion is joined to the first film so as to surround the opening over its entire circumference. The circuit sealing portion is joined to the sealed portion so as to surround the exposed portion over its entire circumference. The device is formed with a closed space. Except for the exposed portion, the closed space is enclosed by the first sealing member and the second sealing member and is partitioned from an external space located outside the device. The exposed portion is exposed to the external space located outside the device. Except for the exposed portion, the first circuit member and the second circuit member are enclosed in the closed space. The first circuit member includes a first contact point. The second circuit member includes a second contact point. The first contact point and the second contact point are pressed against each other and contact each other within the closed space.

[0007] A thin electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention has a first sealing member and a second sealing member overlapping each other, with a first circuit member and a second circuit member (hereinafter simply referred to as "circuit members") sandwiched therebetween. The first sealing member is substantially formed of a thin film. In addition, the structure of each circuit member is not limited, except that each circuit member should be provided with a contact point. Therefore, the structure of the circuit member according to one aspect of the present invention is simple and can be formed of various materials. For example, each circuit member can be an insulating film formed with a conductive pattern having a contact point. In this case, the thickness of the entire device can be made very thin. Therefore, one aspect of the present invention provides a new device that can be made thinner.

[0008] A more complete understanding of the object and structure of the present invention can be obtained by reading the following description of the preferred embodiments and referring to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a thin electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the outline of the hidden opening of the first film and the boundary line of the contact area formed between the first sealing member and the second sealing member are shown as dashed lines.

[0010] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a perspective view of the thin electronic device, in which the first sealing member is removed, and the outline of the hidden opening of the first film, the boundary line of the contact area, the position of the exposed portion, and the position of the sealing portion are shown as dashed lines.

[0011] Figure 3 is a top view showing Figure 1 the thin electronic device, in which the outline of the hidden opening of the first film is shown as a dashed line.

[0012] Figure 4 is a bottom view showing Figure 3 the first sealing member of the thin electronic device, in which the hidden outlines of the frame film and the air valve are shown as dashed lines.

[0013] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing Figure 1 the circuit structure of the thin electronic device, in which a part of the second circuit member is shown as a dashed line. Although the illustrated first contact point and second contact point are separated from each other, the actual first contact point and second contact point are in contact with each other.

[0014] Figure 6 is Figure 1 a schematic cross-sectional view of the device taken along line VI-VI, in which only the internal structure of the device is schematically shown, and the size and arrangement of each member are not equal to its actual size and arrangement.

[0015] Figure 7 is Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a thin electronic device, in which a part of the first film surrounded by a dashed line and a part of the second film surrounded by a dashed line are enlarged and shown.

[0016] Figure 8 shows Figure 7 A perspective view of an air valve, in which the valve of the air valve is open.

[0017] Figure 9 shows Figure 1 A side view of a thin electronic device, in which the device is in the manufacturing process.

[0018] Figure 10 shows Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a thin electronic device along line VI-VI, in which the device is in the manufacturing process, only the internal structure of the device is schematically shown, the size and arrangement of each component are not equal to its actual size and arrangement, and the side of a vacuuming appliance is shown.

[0019] Figure 11 shows Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of a variant of a thin electronic device, only the internal structure of the device is schematically shown, the size and arrangement of each component are not equal to its actual size and arrangement.

[0020] Figure 12 shows Figure 11 A top view of a thin electronic device, in which the hidden contour of the frame film is shown by a dashed line.

[0021] Figure 13 shows Figure 12 A bottom view of the first sealing member of a thin electronic device, in which the hidden contours of the frame film and the air valve are shown by dashed lines.

[0022] Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the device of Patent Document 1.

[0023] Although the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the drawings and the detailed description thereof are not intended to limit the present invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the present invention is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0024] Refer to Figure 1, the thin electronic device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is an independent electronic device. More specifically, the thin electronic device 10 can operate independently without being physically connected to another electronic device (not shown). For example, the thin electronic device 10 measures the heart rate of a subject by attaching the thin electronic device 10 near the heart of the subject and transmits the measurement result to another electronic device. Therefore, the thin electronic device 10 can be used as an electronic device for measuring biological information such as heart rate. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but is applicable to various devices with various functions.

[0025] In conjunction with Figure 1 and referring Figure 2 , the thin electronic device 10 of the present embodiment includes a circuit structure 12 and a sealing member 14. The circuit structure 12 is a member for enabling the thin electronic device 10 to operate as an electronic device. For example, the circuit structure 12 has an electronic circuit (not shown) for receiving an electrical signal (hereinafter referred to as a "biological signal") generated by an electrical pulse of the heart of a subject, another electronic circuit (not shown) for measuring the electrical pulse of the heart based on the received biological signal, and yet another electronic circuit (not shown) for transmitting the measurement result to another electronic device (not shown). The sealing member 14 houses the circuit structure 12 therein and protects the circuit structure 12 from the external environment. Therefore, the circuit structure 12 is enclosed in the sealing member 14.

[0026] The circuit structure 12 of the present embodiment includes a first circuit member 40 and a second circuit member 50. The sealing member 14 of the present embodiment includes a first sealing member 20 and a second sealing member 30. Therefore, the thin electronic device 10 includes the first sealing member 20, the second sealing member 30, the first circuit member 40, and the second circuit member 50. In conjunction with Figure 1 and Figure 2 and referring Figure 9 , the four components of the thin electronic device 10, namely the first sealing member 20, the second sealing member 30, the first circuit member 40, and the second circuit member 50, are stacked in the vertical direction (Z direction) and combined to form the thin electronic device 10 into a single structure. The thin electronic device 10 of the present embodiment only includes the above four components. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the thin electronic device 10 may further include another component in addition to the above four components.

[0027] Hereinafter, each component of the thin electronic device 10 of the present embodiment will be described.

[0028] Referring to Figure 6, the first sealing member 20 of the present embodiment is formed of a first film 22 which is an insulating film as its base. In other words, the first sealing member 20 includes a first film 22 formed of a thin film as the base of the first sealing member 20. The first film 22 of the present embodiment is a thin rectangular sheet and is bendable. For example, the thickness of the first film 22 is about 0.01 to 0.5 mm. The first film 22 extends parallel to the horizontal plane (sheet plane: XY-plane). The first film 22 has a peripheral edge 229 in the XY plane.

[0029] Referring to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the first film 22 has an outer surface 232 and an inner surface 234. The outer surface 232 is the upper surface (positive Z-side surface) of the first film 22. The inner surface 234 is the lower surface (negative Z-side surface).

[0030] Referring to Figure 7 , the first film 22 of the present embodiment includes two layers, consisting of a fusible layer 146 that can be melted by heat treatment and a non-fusible layer 148 that cannot be melted by heat treatment. The fusible layer 146 is located below the non-fusible layer 148. For example, the material of the fusible layer 146 is polyethylene, and the material of the non-fusible layer 148 is nylon. According to this structure, the fusible layer 146 can be fused to another fusible layer of another member while maintaining the non-fused layer 148. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the first film 22 may include only one layer, that is, the non-fusible layer 148, or may include three or more layers.

[0031] Two openings 244 and one valve opening 248 are formed in the first film 22. Each of the openings 244 and the valve opening 248 penetrates the first film 22 in the Z direction. The valve opening 248 has a small circular shape in the XY plane. The two openings 244 have a rectangular shape and have the same size as each other in the XY plane. Specifically, each opening 244 is formed with an edge portion 246 in the XY plane. The edge portion 246 of each opening 244 forms a closed path. More specifically, each edge portion 246 has a seamless frame shape in the XY plane. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the shape and size of each of the openings 244 and the valve opening 248 in the XY plane are not specifically limited.

[0032] Referring to Figure 1 and 7 , the first sealing member 20 of the present embodiment further includes two frame films 26 and an air valve 28 in addition to the first film 22, and each frame film 26 is formed of a thin film.

[0033] Referring to Figure 7, each frame film 26 has a closed-path shape. The frame film 26 of this embodiment is a thin plate in the shape of a rectangular frame and is bendable. Each frame film 26 has an outer edge that is rectangular in the XY plane. Each frame film 26 is formed with a central hole 266. Each central hole 266 is rectangular in the XY plane and penetrates the frame film 26 in the Z direction. Each frame film 26 of this embodiment has the above structure. However, the structure of each frame film 26 is not particularly limited as long as each frame film 26 has a closed or seamless frame shape. For example, each frame film 26 may have a circular frame shape.

[0034] Referring to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , each frame film 26 has a thin-film sealing portion 262 and a circuit sealing portion 264. The circuit sealing portion 264 of this embodiment is the portion of the frame film 26 around the central hole 266 and has a rectangular frame shape. The circuit sealing portion 264 surrounds the central hole 266 over its entire circumference in the XY plane. The thin-film sealing portion 262 of this embodiment is the other portion of the frame film 26 surrounding the circuit sealing portion 264 and has a rectangular frame shape. The thin-film sealing portion 262 surrounds the circuit sealing portion 264 over its entire circumference in the XY plane. In this embodiment, there is no visible boundary between the thin-film sealing portion 262 and the circuit sealing portion 264. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a visible boundary may be formed between the thin-film sealing portion 262 and the circuit sealing portion 264.

[0035] Each frame film 26 of this embodiment is formed of an ultraviolet-curable tape. More specifically, each frame film 26 contains a pressure-sensitive adhesive and an ultraviolet-curable resin. The pressure-sensitive adhesive can adhere to another member when pressed against the other member; the ultraviolet-curable resin can harden when exposed to ultraviolet light. Therefore, each of the thin-film sealing portion 262 and the circuit sealing portion 264 contains a pressure-sensitive adhesive and an ultraviolet-curable resin. For example, when the thin-film sealing portion 262 is pressed against another member, the frame film 26 adheres to the member. Thereafter, when ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the frame film 26, the frame film 26 is hardened and joined to the member.

[0036] Each frame film 26 of this embodiment has a lower layer (negative Z-side portion) and an upper layer (positive Z-side portion). The lower layer is made of a resin containing a pressure-sensitive adhesive and an ultraviolet curable resin. The upper layer is made of a resin that does not contain a pressure-sensitive adhesive and an ultraviolet curable resin. Accordingly, each of the film sealing portion 262 and the circuit sealing portion 264 has a lower surface that can adhere and bond to another member. In contrast, each of the film sealing portion 262 and the circuit sealing portion 264 has an upper surface that cannot adhere to another member only by pressing against the other member. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the resin of the upper layer of the frame film 26 may also contain an adhesive and an ultraviolet curable resin in the same manner as the lower layer.

[0037] Two frame films 26 are provided to correspond to the two openings 244 of the first film 22, respectively. The size of each opening 244 in the XY plane is smaller than the size of the corresponding frame film 26 in the XY plane, but larger than the size of the central hole 266 of the corresponding frame film 26 in the XY plane. Each frame film 26 is disposed on the outer surface 232 of the first film 22 such that the corresponding opening 244 is located inside the outer edge of the frame film 26 and outside the central hole 266 in the XY plane. In other words, each frame film 26 is arranged on the outer surface 232 so as to cover the edge portion 246 of the corresponding opening 244 over its entire circumference.

[0038] The film sealing portion 262 of each frame film 26 arranged as described above adheres to the outer surface 232. A part of the film sealing portion 262 located around the opening 244 adheres to the first film 22 over the entire circumference of the opening 244. The film sealing portion 262 is firmly attached to the outer surface 232 and seals the edge portion 246 of the opening 244 over its entire circumference in the XY plane. In the manufacturing process of the thin electronic device 10 described later, the film sealing portion 262 is hardened by irradiating ultraviolet rays and bonded to the outer surface 232. Accordingly, in the manufactured thin electronic device 10, the film sealing portion 262 is bonded to the first film 22 so as to surround the opening 244 over its entire circumference.

[0039] The frame film 26 of this embodiment is bonded to the outer surface 232 of the first film 22 by using the pressure-sensitive adhesive and the ultraviolet curable resin contained in the film sealing portion 262. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a fixing member other than the frame film 26 may also be used to bond the frame film 26 to the outer surface 232 of the first film 22. When the frame film 26 is bonded to another member only by using a pressure-sensitive adhesive, the frame film 26 does not need to contain an ultraviolet curable resin. Accordingly, the frame film 26 can be a simple tape.

[0040] According to this embodiment, when the thin film sealing portion 262 adheres to the outer surface 232, the circuit sealing portion 264 is located inside the opening 244 in the XY plane. In other words, a part of the frame film 26 that adheres to the outer surface 232 is the thin film sealing portion 262, and the frame film 26 is located inside the opening 244 in the XY plane, so that another part that does not adhere to the outer surface 232 is the circuit sealing portion 264.

[0041] Referring to Figure 7 and 8 , the air valve 28 of this embodiment includes a cover portion 282 formed of a thin insulating film and a base portion 286 made of an insulator. As Figure 8 shown, the base portion 286 is formed with a through hole 288. The through hole 288 penetrates the base portion 286 in the Z direction. The cover portion 282 is formed with five valves 284 and five cutouts 285 corresponding to the valves 284 respectively. Each cutout 285 penetrates the cover portion 282 in the Z direction. The valves 284 and the cutouts 285 are located inside the outer circumference of the cover portion 282 in the XY plane.

[0042] In conjunction with Figure 7 and referring Figure 8 , the cover portion 282 adheres to and is fixed on the upper surface of the base portion 286. In particular, the outer circumference of the cover portion 282 in the XY plane adheres tightly to the upper surface of the base portion 286 over its entire circumference. In contrast, the interior of the cover portion 282 located inside the outer periphery of the cover portion 282 in the XY plane can be pulled away from the upper surface of the base portion 286. Therefore, a passage allowing air to pass through can be formed between the through hole 288 and each cutout 285. The base portion 286 has a lower surface that adheres to and is fixed on the first film 22 such that the through hole 288 communicates with the valve opening 248 of the first film 22.

[0043] In conjunction with Figure 8 and referring Figure 1 , the air valve 28 can take the open state as shown in Figure 8 or the closed state as shown in Figure 1 . When the air valve 28 is in the open state, each valve 284 is separated from the corresponding cutout 285. When the air valve 28 is in the closed state, each valve 284 completely covers the corresponding cutout 285. When the air valve 28 is in the open state, an air passage through the air valve 28 is formed between the inside and the outside of the thin electronic device 10. When the air valve 28 is in the closed state, the inside of the thin electronic device 10 is cut off from the outside of the thin electronic device 10.

[0044] As described below, the air valve 28 is used to evacuate the interior of the thin electronic device 10 during the manufacture of the thin electronic device 10. The air valve 28 of the present embodiment has a structure suitable for this purpose. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, there is no particular limitation on the structure of the air valve 28 as long as the interior air of the thin electronic device 10 can be discharged through the air valve 28. In addition, the interior of the thin electronic device 10 can be evacuated without providing the air valve 28. In other words, the first sealing member 20 may include the air valve 28 as needed.

[0045] Referring to Figure 7 , the second sealing member 30 of the present embodiment is formed of a second film 32 as an insulating film as its base. In other words, the second sealing member 30 includes the second film 32 formed of a thin film as the base of the second sealing member 30. The second film 32 of the present embodiment is formed of a material similar to that of the first film 22 and has a structure similar to that of the first film 22. For example, the second film 32 is a thin rectangular sheet and is bendable. The second film 32 extends parallel to the XY plane. The second film 32 has a peripheral edge 329 in the XY plane. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the second sealing member 30 may include a rigid circuit board as its base instead of the second film 32. The rigid circuit board may be rigid and may hardly bend.

[0046] The second film 32 or the rigid circuit board of the present embodiment includes two layers similar to the first film 22, composed of a fusible layer 146 that can be melted by heat treatment and a non-fusible layer 148 that cannot be melted by heat treatment. The fusible layer 146 is located above the non-fusible layer 148. According to this structure, the two fusible layers 146 of the first film 22 and the second film 32 can be fused to each other while maintaining the non-fusible layer 148. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, each of the first film 22 and the second film 32 may have a structure according to the formation method of the thin electronic device 10. For example, the first film 22 and the second film 32 may be joined together by using a fixing member such as an adhesive. In this case, each of the first film 22 and the second film 32 may include only one layer, that is, the non-fusible layer 148. On the contrary, each of the first film 22 and the second film 32 may include three or more layers.

[0047] Referring to Figure 2 and Figure 7, in addition to the second film 32, the second sealing member 30 of the present embodiment further includes an additional film 38 made of an insulating film. The additional film 38 has an uneven portion 382. As described below, the uneven portion 382 is provided to maintain a passage allowing air to pass through when evacuating the interior of the device 10. Specifically, a large number of protrusions 384 are formed on the uneven portion 382. Each protrusion 384 is a protrusion protruding upward or in the positive Z direction and is elastically deformable. The protrusions 384 are formed uniformly and continuously on the entire additional film 38 in the XY plane. According to the above structure, a passage for air to pass through is formed between every two adjacent protrusions 384. The shape and size of each protrusion 384 are not particularly limited as long as a passage allowing air to pass through can be formed.

[0048] With Figure 2 referred to together Figure 1 , the first film 22 and the second film 32 of the present embodiment overlap each other so that the positions of the peripheral edges 229 and 329 are aligned. They are connected to each other in the XY plane. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the size of the first film 22 in the XY plane and the size of the second film 32 in the XY plane may be different from each other. The shape of each of the first film 22 and the second film 32 is not limited to a rectangle and can be modified as needed.

[0049] Refer to Figure 5 and Figure 7 , the first circuit member 40 of the present embodiment has a first base 42 and a first conductive pattern 44. The first base 42 of the present embodiment is a rectangular thin plate formed of an insulating film and is bendable. The first base 42 extends parallel to the XY plane. The first conductive pattern 44 is formed on the first base 42. Specifically, the first conductive pattern 44 is made of a conductor such as copper and is formed on each of the upper surface and the lower surface of the first base 42 by a forming method such as silver ink printing or etching.

[0050] Refer to Figure 6 , according to the present embodiment, the first conductive pattern 44 has a first upper conductive pattern 44 formed on the upper surface of the first base 42 and a first lower conductive pattern 44 formed on the lower surface of the first base 42. The first upper conductive pattern 44 and the first lower conductive pattern 44 are electrically connected to each other through a through hole formed in the first base 42. Refer to Figure 5 and Figure 7 , the first upper conductive pattern 44 has the same structure as the first lower conductive pattern 44 and is located directly above the first lower conductive pattern 44. In other words, when the first upper conductive pattern 44 and the first lower conductive pattern 44 are projected onto the XY plane in the Z direction, the two projection images are exactly the same. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the structure of the first conductive pattern 44 can be modified as needed.

[0051] The second circuit member 50 of the present embodiment has a second base 52 and a second conductive pattern 54. The second base 52 of the present embodiment is a rectangular thin sheet formed of an insulating film and is bendable. The second base 52 extends parallel to the XY plane. The second conductive pattern 54 is formed on the second base 52. Specifically, the second conductive pattern 54 is made of a conductor such as copper and is formed on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the second base 52 by a forming method such as silver ink printing or etching.

[0052] Referring to Figure 6 , according to the present embodiment, the second conductive pattern 54 has a second upper conductive pattern 54 formed on the upper surface of the second base 52 and a second lower conductive pattern 54 formed on the lower surface of the second base 52. The second upper conductive pattern 54 and the second lower conductive pattern 54 are electrically connected to each other through a through hole formed in the second base 52. Referring to Figure 5 and Figure 7 , the second upper conductive pattern 54 has the same structure as the second lower conductive pattern 54 and is located directly above the second lower conductive pattern 54. In other words, when the second upper conductive pattern 54 and the second lower conductive pattern 54 are projected onto the XY plane in the Z direction, the two projected images are exactly the same. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the structure of the second conductive pattern 54 can be modified as needed.

[0053] The first circuit member 40 and the second circuit member 50 of the present embodiment have the above structures respectively. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, each of the first circuit member 40 and the second circuit member 50 can be provided with one or more electronic components. One of the first circuit member 40 and the second circuit member 50 can be a single electronic component. Each of the first circuit member 40 and the second circuit member 50 can be a rigid circuit board. The forming method of the first conductive pattern 44 and the second conductive pattern 54 is not particularly limited as long as each of the first conductive pattern 44 and the second conductive pattern 54 is made of a conductor.

[0054] Referring to Figure 5 and Figure 7 , the first conductive pattern 44 of the present embodiment has two first terminals 46 and one first contact point 48. The second conductive pattern 54 of the present embodiment has two second terminals 56 and one second contact point 58. Therefore, the first circuit member 40 includes the first terminals 46 and the first contact point 48, and the second circuit member 50 includes the second terminals 56 and the second contact point 58.

[0055] Each first terminal 46 is part of the first upper conductive pattern 44, and the first contact point 48 is part of the first lower conductive pattern 44. Each of the second terminal 56 and the second contact point 58 is part of the second upper conductive pattern 54. Accordingly, the first terminal 46 is located on the upper surface of the first base 42, and the first contact point 48 is located on the lower surface of the first base 42. The terminal 56 and the second contact point 58 are located on the upper surface of the second base 52.

[0056] Referring Figure 2 , the first circuit member 40 of the present embodiment includes an exposed portion 402 and a sealing portion 404. The exposed portion 402 and the sealing portion 404 are each part of the upper surface of the first circuit member 40. The exposed portion 402 and the sealing portion 404 face the first film 22 in the Z direction. The exposed portion 402 of the present embodiment is a rectangular area including a part of the upper surface of the first base 42 and two first terminals 46. The sealing portion 404 of the present embodiment is a rectangular frame-shaped area that is located around the exposed portion 402 in the XY plane. The sealing portion 404 includes another part of the upper surface of the first base 42 and a part of the first conductive pattern 44. The sealing portion 404 surrounds the exposed portion 402 on the entire circumference in the XY plane.

[0057] The second circuit member 50 of the present embodiment includes an exposed portion 502 and a sealing portion 504. Each of the exposed portion 502 and the sealing portion 504 is part of the upper surface of the second circuit member 50. The exposed portion 502 and the sealing portion 504 face the first film 22 in the Z direction. The exposed portion 502 of the present embodiment is a rectangular area including a part of the upper surface of the second base 52 and two second terminals 56. The sealing portion 504 of the present embodiment is a rectangular frame-shaped area that is located around the exposed portion 502 in the XY plane. The sealing portion 504 includes another part of the upper surface of the second base 52 and a part of the second conductive pattern 54. The sealing portion 504 surrounds the exposed portion 502 on the entire circumference in the XY plane.

[0058] Referring Figure 3 , the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502 are arranged to correspond to the two openings 244, respectively. In the manufactured thin electronic device 10, each of the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502 is located in the middle of the corresponding opening 244 in the XY plane. In the manufactured thin electronic device 10, each of the sealing portion 404 and the sealing portion 504 is located at the outer circumference of the corresponding opening 244 in the XY plane and is directly below the circuit sealing portion 264 of the corresponding frame film 26.

[0059] In the manufactured thin electronic device 10, the circuit sealing portions 264 of the two frame films 26 are respectively joined to the sealing portion 404 and the sealing portion 504 by using a pressure-sensitive adhesive and an ultraviolet curable resin contained in each circuit sealing portion 264. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the circuit sealing portion 264 may be respectively joined to the sealing portion 404 and the sealing portion 504 by using a fixing member such as an adhesive instead of the frame film 26.

[0060] The circuit sealing portions 264 of the frame film 26 of the present embodiment are respectively joined to the sealing portion 404 and the sealing portion 504 so as to respectively surround the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502 over their entire circumferences. As a result, the air passage through the opening 244 is blocked. The shape of each of the exposed portion 402, the exposed portion 502, the sealing portion 404, and the sealing portion 504 is not particularly limited as long as the circuit sealing portion 264 can be respectively joined to the sealing portion 404 and the sealing portion 504 so that these air passages are blocked.

[0061] In the manufactured thin electronic device 10, the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502 are exposed upward through the center hole 266 of the frame film 26. In other words, the portion of the first circuit member 40 exposed through the center hole 266 is the exposed portion 402, and the other portion of the first circuit member 40 surrounding the exposed portion 402 in the XY plane is the sealing portion 404. Similarly, the portion of the second circuit member 50 exposed through the center hole 266 is the exposed portion 502, and the other portion of the second circuit member 50 surrounding the exposed portion 502 in the XY plane is the sealing portion 504.

[0062] Referring to Figure 6 , in the manufactured thin electronic device 10, the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 are in contact with each other. Therefore, the first conductive pattern 44 and the second conductive pattern 54 are electrically connected to each other. In addition, through the first terminal 46 of the exposed portion 402 (see Figure 1 ) and the second terminal 56 of the exposed portion 502 (see Figure 1 ), it is possible to electrically connect to a member located outside the thin electronic device 10. For example, the first terminal 46 and the second terminal 56 can measure the contact resistance between the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 by the four-terminal method.

[0063] Figure 5 and Figure 7 The first conductive pattern 44 and the second conductive pattern 54 shown in are abstract conductive patterns for simply explaining the present invention and have no specific function. In other words, even when the illustrated first contact point 48 and the illustrated second contact point 58 are in contact with each other, the thin electronic device 10 does not operate as an electronic device.

[0064] For example, the actual first conductive pattern 44 and the actual second conductive pattern 54 are formed by an electronic circuit (not shown) that can measure the electrical pulses of a subject's heart. Refer to Figure 3 , the first conductive pattern 44 of the exposed portion 402 may be formed with a conductive portion (not shown) that can contact the subject's skin instead of the first terminal 46. The conductive pattern 54 of the exposed portion 502 may be formed with a display having a light-emitting diode (LED) instead of the second terminal 56. In this case, the electronic circuit can obtain a biosignal generated from the electrical pulses of the subject's heart and can display the measurement result on the display.

[0065] The exposed portion 402 (exposed portion 502) can not only provide the above-mentioned conductive portion (electrode) and the display, but also provide components according to the use of the thin electronic device 10. For example, the exposed portion 402 (exposed portion 502) may be provided with a sensing surface of sensors such as a humidity sensor and a gas sensor, a light-receiving portion of a photodetector, and a light-emitting portion of a light-emitting element.

[0066] See Figure 5 , the number of each of the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 in this embodiment is one. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the number of the first contact point 48 and each of the second contact points 58 may be two or more.

[0067] Refer to Figure 1 and 2 , the number of each of the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502 in this embodiment is one. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the number of the exposed portion 402 and each of the exposed portions 502 may be two or more. In addition, the thin electronic device 10 may have only one exposed portion 402 or only one exposed portion 502. Therefore, at least one of the first circuit member 40 and the second circuit member 50 should include the exposed portion 402 (exposed portion 502) and the sealing portion 404 (sealing portion 504). Refer to Figure 6 , the first contact point 48 should contact the second contact point 58 in the manufactured device. Each of the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502 should be exposed outward from the manufactured thin electronic device 10.

[0068] Hereinafter, the thin electronic device 10 of this embodiment will be described in more detail.

[0069] Refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2, the first film 22 of this embodiment has a first interior 222 and a first exterior 224. The first exterior 224 of this embodiment has a first sealing portion 226 and a first contact portion 228. The first interior 222 is located inside the first exterior 224 in the XY plane. In other words, the first exterior 224 is a part of the first film 22 that surrounds the first interior 222.

[0070] Referring to Figure 2 , the second film 32 of this embodiment has a second interior 322 and a second exterior 324. The second exterior 324 of this embodiment has a second sealing portion 326 and a second contact portion 328. The second interior 322 is located inside the second exterior 324 in the XY plane. In other words, the second exterior 324 is a part of the second film 32 that surrounds the second interior 322.

[0071] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the first interior 222 of the first film 22 and the second interior 322 of the second film 32 of the thin electronic device 10 are parts for accommodating the circuit structure 12 and are separated from each other. The first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326 of this embodiment are joined together to form a sealing trace 16. According to this embodiment, the first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326 are joined together by thermal sealing. Therefore, the sealing trace 16 of this embodiment is a trace where the first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326 are welded to each other by heat treatment. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326 can be joined together by various methods such as high frequency, ultrasonic, laser, or adhesive.

[0072] The sealing trace 16 of this embodiment is formed on the entire circumference of the first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326. The sealing trace 16 penetrates and surrounds the entire circumference of the first contact portion 228 and the second contact portion 328 in the XY plane. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the sealing trace 16 can be formed on necessary parts according to the forming method of the thin electronic device 10. For example, the sealing trace 16 can be partially formed or may not be formed at all.

[0073] Referring to Figure 6, as described below, after the first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326 are joined together, the interior of the thin electronic device 10 is evacuated. According to this embodiment, when evacuating, the first contact portion 228 and the second contact portion 328 come into contact with each other in the contact area 17 due to the air pressure difference. Therefore, the thin electronic device 10 is formed with a closed space 18. The closed space 18 is enclosed by the first interior 222 and the second interior 322. The contact area 17 of this embodiment seamlessly penetrates and surrounds the entire circumference of the first interior 222 and the second interior portion 322 in the XY plane. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the contact area 17 can be formed on necessary portions according to the formation method of the thin electronic device 10. For example, the contact area 17 can be partially formed or may not be formed at all.

[0074] The closed space 18 formed as described above is enclosed by the first sealing member 20 and the second sealing member 30 except for the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502, and is partitioned from the external space outside the thin electronic device 10. According to this embodiment, the first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326 are firmly joined together. In addition, the contact area 17 is located inside the sealing trace 16 in the XY plane and blocks the air that may flow between the inside and the outside of the closed space 18. Therefore, the air pressure in the closed space 18 is maintained at a low pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure.

[0075] Except for the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502, the first circuit member 40 and the second circuit member 50 are enclosed in the closed space 18 that maintains the above low pressure. In other words, except for the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502, no part of the first circuit member 40 and the second circuit member 50 is located outside the thin electronic device 10. The first contact 48 and the second contact 58 abut against each other in the closed space 18 to come into contact with each other. Specifically, due to the air pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the closed space 18, a contact force is generated between the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58. Due to this air pressure difference, the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 press against each other. Therefore, the contact between the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 can be reliably maintained.

[0076] In summary, the first sealing member 20 and the second sealing member 30 of the thin electronic device 10 of this embodiment overlap and contact each other, and the first circuit member 40 and the second circuit member 50 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "circuit members") are sandwiched therebetween. Each of the first sealing member 20 and the second sealing member 30 of this embodiment is substantially formed of a thin film.

[0077] In addition, the structure of each circuit component is not limited, except that each circuit component should be provided with a contact point of the first contact point 48 or the second contact point 58. Therefore, each circuit component of the embodiment has a simple structure and can be formed of various materials. For example, each circuit component can be an insulating film formed with a conductive pattern having a contact point, that is, the first conductive pattern 44 or the second conductive pattern 54. In this case, the thickness of the entire thin electronic device 10 can be made very thin. Therefore, the present embodiment provides a new and thinner thin electronic device 10.

[0078] According to the present embodiment, the first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326 are joined together, and the first contact portion 228 and the second contact portion 328 are in contact with each other. According to this structure, the airtightness of the closed space 18 can be reliably maintained. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326 may partially surround the first contact portion 228 and the second contact portion 328 in the XY plane. The first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326 may partially surround the first interior 222 and the second interior 322 in the XY plane.

[0079] According to the present embodiment, by cutting the first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326, the first circuit component 40 and the second circuit component 50 can be easily taken out from the closed space 18. Then, by peeling the frame film 26, each of the first circuit component 40 and the second circuit component 50 can be easily separated from the first sealing portion 226 and the second sealing portion 326. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, these components can be easily recycled individually.

[0080] According to the present embodiment, the outer surface 232 of the first film 22 is located outside the closed space 18. The thin film sealing portion 262 of the frame film 26 is joined to the thus arranged outer surface 232. The exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502 are exposed to the external space located outside the thin electronic device 10. If the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502 as described above are not provided, the electronic circuits (not shown) formed in the first conductive pattern 44 and the second conductive pattern 54 should obtain the biological signals of the subject without contacting the subject. For example, the electronic circuits should obtain the biological signals of the subject through non-contact communication. However, it is difficult to accurately acquire weak biological signals through non-contact communication. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the biological signals can be accurately obtained by a conductive portion (not shown) provided on the exposed portion 402 or the exposed portion 502 and in contact with the skin of the subject.

[0081] Each of the first sealing member 20 and the second sealing member 30 preferably has a high oxygen barrier property. More specifically, each of the first film 22 and the second film 32 (or the rigid circuit board) preferably includes a layer made of a high oxygen barrier material, which is a material having a high oxygen barrier property. According to this layer structure, oxidation of the metal members of the circuit structure 12 can be reduced.

[0082] For example, the high oxygen barrier material may be linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). More specifically, the high oxygen barrier material may be PET / Al / PE formed by laminating polyethylene terephthalate, aluminum, and polyethylene; ON / PE formed by laminating biaxially oriented nylon and polyethylene; PET / EVOH / PE formed by laminating polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene; or may be formed by laminating a transparent high barrier film and polyethylene. The transparent high barrier film may be polyethylene terephthalate (PET) deposited with SiOx or aluminum oxide.

[0083] The first sealing member 20 and the second sealing member 30 of the present embodiment preferably have a high water vapor barrier property in addition to the high oxygen barrier property. More specifically, each of the first film 22 and the second film 32 (or the rigid circuit board) preferably includes a layer made of a high water vapor barrier material, which is a material having a high water vapor barrier property. According to this layer structure, the circuit structure 12 can be waterproof. For example, the high water vapor barrier material may be a sheet made of ON / PE, biaxially oriented polypropylene (OPP), or PET and coated with polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC).

[0084] In addition to the high oxygen barrier property and the high water vapor barrier property, each of the first sealing member 20 and the second sealing member 30 may have various barrier properties, such as a barrier property to nitrogen. Therefore, it is preferable that each of the first sealing member 20 and the second sealing member 30 has a high barrier property according to its use.

[0085] The thin electronic device 10 of the present embodiment (see Figure 1 ) is formed through four steps, including a preparation step (step 1), a lamination step (step 2), a sealing step (step 3), and a vacuum pumping step (step 4). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the formation method of the thin electronic device 10 can be modified as needed. Hereinafter, an example of the formation method of the thin electronic device 10 of the present embodiment will be described.

[0086] Referring to Figure 9 , first, in the preparation step, the first sealing member 20, the second sealing member 30, the first circuit member 40, and the second circuit member 50 are prepared.

[0087] Then, in the stacking step, the first sealing member 20, the first circuit member 40, the second circuit member 50, and the second sealing member 30 are stacked in order from top to bottom in the Z direction. At the same time, the first circuit member 40 and the second circuit member 50 are arranged such that the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 face each other in the Z direction. In addition, the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502 are arranged to face the center hole 266 of the frame film 26 (see Figure 7 ). The additional film 38 is located in the middle of the second film 32 in the XY plane. The first circuit member 40 and the second circuit member 50 are located in the middle of the additional film 38 in the XY plane. In addition, the first film 22 and the second film 32 are arranged such that their two fusible layers 146 (see Figure 7 ) face each other in the Z direction.

[0088] Referring to Figure 10 , then, in the closing step, the circuit sealing portions 264 of the frame film 26 are pressed against and adhered to the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502, respectively. Then, ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the frame film 26 to bond the thin film sealing portion 262 to the first film 22 and the circuit sealing portions 264 to the exposed portion 402 and the exposed portion 502. Then, heat sealing is performed on the first film 22 and the second film 32. Specifically, the portions of the two fusible layers 146 (see Figure 7 ) located at the outer peripheries of the first film 22 and the second film 32 in the XY plane are welded to each other by heat sealing. As a result of the heat sealing, the thin electronic device 10 with the sealing trace 16 is formed. The thin electronic device 10 has an internal space enclosed by the first sealing member 20 and the second sealing member 30, and this internal space is partitioned from the outside of the thin electronic device 10 except for the air valve 28.

[0089] Then, in the evacuation step, the inside of the thin electronic device 10 is evacuated. According to this embodiment, the air valve 28 and the instrument 80 are used to discharge the air inside the thin electronic device 10. The instrument 80 of this embodiment is a syringe type piston pump. The instrument 80 includes a syringe 82 and a plunger 84. The syringe 82 has a lower end that has an annular shape in the XY plane. The annular shape of the syringe 82 corresponds to the outer periphery of the lid portion 282 of the air valve 28.

[0090] In the evacuation step, first, the lower end of the syringe 82 is pressed against the upper surface of the lid portion 282 (see Figure 8 ). Then, the plunger 84 is pulled upward. At the same time, the air valve 28 is in an open state, and an air passage is formed between the inside of the thin electronic device 10 and the inside of the syringe 82. The air inside the thin electronic device 10 passes through the through hole 288 and the notch 285 of the air valve 28 (see Figure 8) is discharged into the syringe 82. As a result, the air pressure inside the thin electronic device 10 gradually decreases. When the air pressure inside the thin electronic device 10 becomes a low pressure close to a vacuum, the evacuation using the instrument 80 is stopped.

[0091] In conjunction with Figure 10 refer also to Figure 6 , when the evacuation stops, due to the air pressure difference between the air pressure inside the thin electronic device 10 and the atmospheric pressure, the valve 284 of the air valve 28 (see Figure 8 ) covers the cutout 285 (see Figure 8 ), so that the air valve 28 is in a closed state. As a result, the air pressure inside the thin electronic device 10 is maintained at a low pressure. Therefore, the thin electronic device 10 forms a closed space 18 that is isolated from the outside and has a low pressure. The first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 are pressed against each other and come into contact with each other due to the air pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the closed space 18.

[0092] The first film 22 and the second film 32 tend to come into close contact with each other during evacuation, and thus tend to form a close contact portion such as the contact area 17. If the additional film 38 is not provided, the close contact portion of the first film 22 and the second film 32 will be formed in the closed space 18. The close contact portion formed in this way may block the air passage between the air valve 28 and the contact area provided with the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58. As a result, the air pressure in the space where the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 are located may not decrease sufficiently, resulting in a situation where the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 may not contact each other reliably.

[0093] On the contrary, since the additional film 38 of the present embodiment is located between the first film 22 and the second film 32, direct contact between the first film 22 and the second film 32 is prevented. In addition, since the additional film 38 has the uneven portion 382, even when the first film 22 and the second film 32 are in indirect contact via the additional film 38, the air flow through the air valve 28 can be maintained. Therefore, the first contact 48 and the second contact 58 can contact each other reliably.

[0094] The additional film 38 of the present embodiment is a corrugated film different from and separable from the second film 32, and is provided on the second film 32. The uneven portions 382 are formed on the upper surface and the lower surface of the additional film 38. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the additional film 38 may be adhered and fixed to the upper surface of the second film 32. The uneven portion 382 may be formed only on the upper surface of the additional film 38. The second film 32 may be corrugated so that the uneven portion 382 is formed. In this case, there is no need to provide the additional film 38. Therefore, the second sealing member 30 may only include the second film 32 having the uneven portion 382.

[0095] The additional film 38 of the present embodiment forms the second sealing member 30 together with the second film 32. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the additional film 38 may form the first sealing member 20 together with the first film 22. More specifically, the additional film 38 may be disposed below the first film 22. In addition, the first film 22 may be embossed to form uneven portions 382. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the additional film 38.

[0096] According to the forming method of the present embodiment, the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 are firmly in contact with each other without using a fixing member such as an adhesive. Therefore, when the thin electronic device 10 is no longer in use, it is only necessary to cut off the first outer portion 224 and the second outer portion 324 and peel off the frame film 26 to disassemble the thin electronic device 10. In addition, the first circuit member 40 and the second circuit member 50 can be closed in a closed space 18 having a low pressure, so that, for example, deterioration of metal members due to oxidation can be reduced.

[0097] Refer to Figure 10 , according to the forming method of the present embodiment, a simple instrument 80 can be used to easily evacuate the air. The evacuation of the instrument 80 can be repeated. For example, even if the air pressure in the closed space 18 becomes high during the use of the thin electronic device 10, the instrument 80 can be used again to evacuate the air. Therefore, during the use of the thin electronic device 10, the contact force between the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 can be maintained. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the forming method of the thin electronic device 10 can be modified as needed.

[0098] For example, the structure of the instrument 80 is not particularly limited as long as it can be used for evacuating the air. A nozzle can be used instead of the illustrated instrument 80. The nozzle can be inserted into the thin electronic device 10 to evacuate the thin electronic device 10. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the air valve 28. Alternatively, a commercially available tabletop vacuum packaging machine (not shown) can be used for sealing and evacuating the air. Refer to Figure 9 , the components of the thin electronic device 10 can be disposed in a chamber (not shown) so as to evacuate the air while thermally sealing. According to this forming method, it is not necessary to provide the additional film 38. In addition, uneven portions 382 may not be provided on other components either. However, from the perspective of easily manufacturing the thin electronic device 10, a simple commercially available instrument such as the instrument 80 (refer to Figure 9 ) is preferred.

[0099] According to the forming method of the present embodiment, when the preparation step starts, the frame film 26 has already adhered to the first film 22. In the sealing step, the frame film 26 is joined to the first film 22, the first circuit member 40, and the second circuit member 50. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the frame film 26 can be adhered to the first film 22 in the sealing step. After the evacuation step ends, the frame film 26 can be joined to the first film 22, the first circuit member 40, and the second circuit member 50 by irradiating ultraviolet light. However, from the viewpoint of reliably evacuating the interior of the thin electronic device 10, the forming method of the present embodiment is preferred.

[0100] In addition to the modifications already described, various modifications can be made to the present embodiment as described below.

[0101] Compare Figure 11 and Figure 6 , the thin electronic device 10A according to the first modification includes the same first sealing member 20, second sealing member 30, first circuit member 40, and second circuit member 50 as the thin electronic device 10. However, the frame film 26 of the first sealing member 20 is disposed inside the thin electronic device 10A. For each frame film 26, each of the upper layer and the lower layer contains a pressure-sensitive adhesive and an ultraviolet-curable resin. Refer to Figure 11 , the inner surface 234 of the first film 22 of the thin electronic device 10A is located inside the closed space 18. Refer to Figures 11 to 13 , the film sealing portion 262 of the frame film 26 of the thin electronic device 10A is joined to the inner surface 234 arranged in such a manner.

[0102] Except for the above differences, the thin electronic device 10A has a structure similar to that of the thin electronic device 10 and operates similarly to the thin electronic device 10. Therefore, according to this modification, effects similar to those of the above embodiment can be obtained.

[0103] The frame film 26 of this modification example has the same structure as the frame film 26 of the above embodiment except that the upper layer contains an adhesive and an ultraviolet-curable resin. However, the present invention is not limited to this, but can be further modified. For example, the upper layer of the frame film 26 can be a fusible layer (not shown). The lower layer of the frame film 26 can be an ultraviolet-curable tape. In this case, the upper layer of the frame film 26 can be used as the film sealing portion 262, and the lower layer of the frame film 26 can be used as the circuit sealing portion 264.

[0104] According to the above modification, each of the film sealing portions 262 as the fusible layer and the fusible layer 146 of the first film 22 (see Figure 7) can be fused to each other, so that the frame film 26 can be joined to the inner surface 234 of the first film 22. In addition, after the circuit sealing portion 264 is pressed against the sealing portion 404 and the sealing portion 504, the frame film 26 can be joined to the sealing portion 404 and the sealing portion 504 by irradiating ultraviolet light.

[0105] Referring to Figure 12 and 13 , according to the foregoing modification, the size of each opening 244 in the XY plane can be smaller than the size of the central hole 266 of the corresponding frame film 26 in the XY plane. Each frame film 26 can be disposed on the inner surface 234 of the first film 22 such that the corresponding opening 244 is located inside the central hole 266 in the XY plane.

[0106] Referring to Figure 7 , the peripheral edge 229 of the first film 22 and the peripheral edge 329 of the second film 32 can be connected to each other at the rear end (negative X-side end) in the front-rear direction (X direction). In other words, each of the first film 22 and the second film 32 can be a part of a single planar sheet that is folded so that the first film 22 and the second film 32 overlap each other. On the contrary, except for its rear end, the peripheral edge 229 of the first film 22 and the peripheral edge 329 of the second film 32 can be connected to each other. In other words, each of the first film 22 and the second film 32 can be a part of a single folded sheet.

[0107] The above-mentioned folded sheet can have an openable and closable fastener provided on its rear end portion. In this case, evacuation can be performed in a state where the fastener is closed. Thereafter, the portions of the first film 22 and the second film 32 in front of the fastener (positive X side) can be fused to each other. The portion provided with the air valve 28 can be cut off after the fusion.

[0108] The first circuit member 40 can be a member integrated with the first sealing member 20. The second circuit member 50 can be a member integrated with the second sealing member 30. For example, the first base 42 can be adhered to and fixed on the lower surface of the first film 22. On the contrary, the first conductive pattern 44 can be formed on the lower surface of the first film 22. The second circuit member 50 can be disposed on the additional film 38. For example, the second circuit member 50 can be disposed on the lower surface of the additional film 22. The base 52 can be adhered to and fixed on the upper surface of the additional film 38. On the contrary, the second conductive pattern 54 can be formed on the upper surface of the additional film 38. In addition, when the second sealing member 30 is not included in the additional film 38, the second base 52 can be adhered to and fixed on the upper surface of the second film 32. On the contrary, the second conductive pattern 54 can be formed on the upper surface of the second film 32.

[0109] Instead of the additional film 38, the thin electronic device 10 (thin electronic device 10A) may include a cushioning material (not shown) formed of an open-cell structure such as polyurethane sponge. The cushioning material may be provided above the first circuit member 40 or below the second circuit member 50. In any case, the cushioning material should be located at positions corresponding to the first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 in the XY plane.

[0110] When the cushioning material as described above is provided, the cushioning material is compressed during evacuation. The first contact point 48 and the second contact point 58 are pressed against each other by the restoring force of the compressed cushioning material. Further, even if air flows into the closed space 18, the air is absorbed into the cushioning material. In this case, since the restoring force of the cushioning material is only slightly reduced, the change in the contact force between the first contact 48 and the second contact 58 can be reduced. This modified example provides the thin electronic device 10 (thin electronic device 10A) capable of stably operating for a long time in various environments.

Claims

1. A thin electronic device, comprising a first sealing member, a second sealing member, a first circuit member, and a second circuit member, characterized in that: The first sealing member includes a first film formed of a thin film as the base of the first sealing member, and includes a frame film formed of a thin film; The first film is formed with an opening; The edge portion of the opening forms an enclosed closed path; The frame film has a closed path shape; At least one of the first circuit member and the second circuit member includes an exposed portion and a sealed portion; The exposed portion and the sealed portion face the first film; The sealed portion surrounds the exposed portion over its entire circumference; The frame film has a thin film sealed portion and a circuit sealed portion; The thin film sealed portion of the frame film is joined to the first film so as to surround the opening over its entire circumference; The circuit sealed portion is joined to the sealed portion so as to surround the exposed portion over its entire circumference; The device is formed with a closed space; Except for the exposed portion, the closed space is enclosed by the first sealing member and the second sealing member and is partitioned from the external space located outside the device; The exposed portion is exposed to the external space located outside the device; Except for the exposed portion, the first circuit member and the second circuit member are enclosed in the closed space; The first circuit member includes a first contact point; The second circuit member includes a second contact point; And Due to the air pressure difference between the inside and outside of the closed space, the first contact point and the second contact point are pressed against each other, so as to contact each other in the closed space without using a fixing member.

2. The thin electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first film has an outer surface; The outer surface is located outside the closed space; and The thin film sealed portion of the frame film is joined to the outer surface.

3. The thin electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first film has an inner surface; The inner surface is located inside the closed space; and The thin film sealed portion of the frame film is adhered to the inner surface.

4. The thin electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that The frame film is formed of an ultraviolet curable tape.

5. The thin electronic device according to claim 1, characterized in that The second sealing member includes a second film formed of a thin film as the base of the second sealing member.

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