Stretchable circuit board

Abstract

To provide a stretchable wiring board capable of connecting each of a plurality of external terminals to a corresponding connection terminal by easily positioning each of a plurality of terminal mounting members.SOLUTION: The stretchable circuit board 100 includes the first stretchable base 10, the stretchable conductive layer 20, and the second stretchable base 30 disposed to face the first stretchable base 10 with the stretchable conductive layer 20 interposed therebetween, the stretchable conductive layer 20 includes the plurality of bioelectrodes 21, the plurality of external terminals 22, and the wiring portion 23 connecting the bioelectrodes 21 and the external terminals 22. The stretchable circuit board 100 further includes an adhesive 50 for fixing the stretchable circuit board 100 to a living body, and a plurality of terminal attaching members 60 for electrically connecting the plurality of external terminals 22 to a plurality of connection terminals of an external device, respectively, by being attached to an attachment portion of the external device, and the terminal attaching members 60 are movable in an in-plane direction of the stretchable circuit board 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a stretchable wiring board. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART A stretchable wiring board is known that includes a stretchable substrate and a stretchable conductor layer disposed on the stretchable substrate, and is used by being fixed to the skin or the like of a living body (for example, Patent Document 1). In the stretchable wiring board of Patent Document 1, the external terminal of the stretchable conductor layer is provided with a terminal attachment member (described in Patent Document 1 as a concave-convex engaging portion, a conductive hook, etc.) that can be attached to a connection terminal of an external device. According to Patent Document 1, by attaching a terminal mounting member to a connection terminal of an external device and electrically connecting the external terminal of the elastic conductor layer to the connection terminal of the external device, it is possible to suppress misalignment between the terminal mounting member and the external terminal and the connection terminal of the external device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-34387 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, according to the investigations of the present inventors, there is still room for improvement in the stretchable wiring board of Patent Document 1 in terms of making it possible to easily align each of the multiple terminal mounting members and connect each of the multiple external terminals to the corresponding connection terminal.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a stretchable wiring board that allows a plurality of terminal mounting members to be easily aligned, and allows each of a plurality of external terminals to be connected to a corresponding connection terminal. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, a first stretchable substrate and A stretchable conductor layer; a second stretchable substrate disposed opposite the first stretchable substrate with the stretchable conductor layer sandwiched therebetween; A stretchable wiring substrate comprising: The stretchable conductor layer includes a plurality of bioelectrodes, a plurality of external terminals, and a wiring portion connecting the bioelectrodes and the external terminals, The stretchable wiring board is an adhesive for fixing the stretchable wiring board to a living body; a plurality of terminal mounting members that are attached to mounting portions of an external device to electrically connect each of the plurality of external terminals to a plurality of connection terminals of the external device; Further provided with At least the surface of the terminal attachment member facing the living body is exposed from the adhesive, There is provided a stretchable wiring board in which the terminal mounting member is movable in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily align the plurality of terminal mounting members, respectively, and connect the plurality of external terminals to the corresponding connection terminals. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a stretchable wiring board according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional end view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is an exploded view of the stretchable wiring board according to the first embodiment, showing a schematic cross-sectional structure along the line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional end view showing the stretchable wiring board and an external device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5(a) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which misalignment occurs between each terminal mounting member and external terminal of the stretchable wiring board and the connection terminal of the external device, and Figure 5(b) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the misalignment between each terminal mounting member and external terminal of the stretchable wiring board and the connection terminal of the external device has been resolved. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional end view of a stretchable wiring substrate according to Modification 1 of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is an exploded view of a stretchable wiring board according to a second modified example of the first embodiment, showing a schematic cut end surface structure. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional end view of a stretchable wiring board according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional end view of a stretchable wiring board according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of a stretchable wiring board according to a fourth embodiment, and FIG. 10(b) is an enlarged view of part B shown in FIG. 10(a). [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a stretchable wiring board according to a fourth embodiment, showing a schematic cut end surface structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments and modifications of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted where appropriate.

[0010] [First embodiment] First, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5(b). For convenience of explanation, the upper side in Figures 2 and 3 will be referred to as the upper side (upper side), and the lower side in Figures 2 and 3 will be referred to as the lower side (lower side). However, the positional relationship between the upper and lower sides in this explanation does not necessarily coincide with the direction when the stretchable wiring board 100 is in use or stored.

[0011] The stretchable wiring board 100 according to this embodiment comprises a first stretchable substrate 10, a stretchable conductor layer 20, and a second stretchable substrate 30 arranged opposite the first stretchable substrate 10 with the stretchable conductor layer 20 sandwiched therebetween. The stretchable conductor layer 20 includes a plurality of bioelectrodes 21, a plurality of external terminals 22, and a wiring portion 23 connecting the bioelectrodes 21 and the external terminals 22. The stretchable wiring board 100 further comprises an adhesive (for example, an adhesive 50 and a bioconductive member 70) for fixing the stretchable wiring board 100 to a living body (not shown), and a plurality of terminal mounting members 60 that are attached to a mounting portion 210 of the external device 200 (FIG. 4) to electrically connect each of the plurality of external terminals 22 to a plurality of connection terminals 211 of the external device 200, respectively. At least the surface of the terminal attachment member 60 facing the living body (the lower surface in FIG. 2) is exposed from the adhesive 50, and the terminal attachment member 60 is movable in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100.

[0012] According to this embodiment, since each terminal mounting member 60 is movable in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100, the distance between the plurality of terminal mounting members 60 in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100 is variable. Therefore, each terminal mounting member 60 can be aligned with the corresponding mounting portion 210 and mounted to the mounting portion 210. In other words, the multiple terminal mounting members 60 can be easily aligned with each other, and the multiple external terminals 22 can be connected to the corresponding connection terminals 211. In addition, in the technology of Patent Document 1, multiple terminal mounting members (conductive hooks in the same document) are provided on a common non-stretchable base material 12, making it difficult to change the distance between multiple terminal mounting members 60.

[0013] This will be explained in more detail below. The planar shape of the stretchable wiring board 100 is not particularly limited, but as an example, it can be a substantially rectangular shape (for example, a rectangular shape with rounded corners) as shown in FIG. The number of the bioelectrodes 21, the external terminals 22, the wiring portions 23, and the terminal mounting members 60 included in the stretchable wiring board 100 is not particularly limited as long as there is more than one of each. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which there are two each of the bioelectrodes 21, the external terminals 22, and the terminal mounting members 60. The number of bioelectrodes 21, external terminals 22, wiring portions 23, and terminal attachment members 60 corresponds to one to one to one. Furthermore, each of the stretchable conductor layers 20 has one bioelectrode 21, one external terminal 22, and one wiring portion 23, and in this embodiment, the number of stretchable conductor layers 20 is also two. The arrangement of the bioelectrodes 21 and external terminals 22 within the plane of the stretchable wiring board 100 is not particularly limited, but in the example of Figure 1, the bioelectrodes 21 are arranged at both ends of the stretchable wiring board 100 in the longitudinal direction (left and right direction in Figure 1), the external terminals 22 are arranged at positions closer to the center in the longitudinal direction of the stretchable wiring board 100, and each wiring portion 23 extends in the longitudinal direction of the stretchable wiring board 100 and connects the corresponding bioelectrodes 21 and external terminals 22. The planar shape of the bioelectrode 21 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, circular. The planar shape of the external terminal 22 is not particularly limited, but as an example, it is circular. The planar shape of the wiring portion 23 is not particularly limited, but as an example, it is a straight line having a width narrower than the outer diameter of the bioelectrode 21 and the outer diameter of the external terminal 22.

[0014] In this embodiment, the terminal mounting member 60 is conductive. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, openings 11 and 24 are formed in the first stretchable substrate 10 and the external terminal 22. The terminal mounting member 60 is connected to the peripheral edge (underside) of the opening 24 in the external terminal 22, and a portion of the terminal mounting member 60 is exposed (above) through the first elastic substrate 10 and the openings 11, 24 of the external terminal 22. By attaching the above-mentioned portion of each terminal mounting member 60 to the mounting portion 210 of the external device 200, each of the multiple external terminals 22 is electrically connected to the multiple connection terminals 211 of the external device 200 via the corresponding terminal mounting member 60 (see Figure 4).

[0015] The external terminals 22 and the terminal mounting member 60 can be joined by welding a silver paste coating that is thermoplastic and exhibits hot melt properties, for example, by a method such as hot pressing.

[0016] The stretchable conductor layer 20 is formed on the lower surface of the first stretchable substrate 10 . The second stretchable substrate 30 is disposed on the underside of the first stretchable substrate 10 and the stretchable conductor layer 20 . The adhesive 50 is disposed on the lower surface side of the second stretchable substrate 30 . The first stretchable substrate 10 and the external terminal 22 are formed with openings 11 and openings 24 corresponding to the respective terminal mounting members 60, that is, two openings 11 and two openings 24 each. For example, the opening 11 of the first stretchable substrate 10 and the opening 24 of the external terminal 22 are formed to have the same shape and dimensions, and are arranged at the same position in a plan view. The second stretchable substrate 30 has an opening 31 formed therein that is, for example, one size larger than the openings 11 and 24, and the openings 11 and 24 are entirely contained within the opening 31 in plan view.

[0017] The adhesive 50 is insulating. The adhesive 50 is formed, for example, by applying an adhesive material. The adhesive material is not particularly limited, but for example, an acrylic resin or the like can be used.

[0018] In the adhesive 50, openings 51 are formed at locations corresponding to the external terminals 22 and the terminal mounting members 60. For this reason, the force of the adhesive 50 restricting the movement of the terminal mounting members 60 is reduced, and each terminal mounting member 60 can move more easily in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100.

[0019] In this embodiment, the entire terminal mounting member 60 is accommodated inside the opening 51 in plan view. This allows each terminal mounting member 60 to move more easily in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100 .

[0020] More specifically, in this embodiment, a clearance 52 exists between the inner peripheral edge of the opening 51 of the adhesive 50 and the outer peripheral surface of the terminal mounting member 60 . Therefore, each terminal mounting member 60 can easily move in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100 inside the opening 51 .

[0021] In the present embodiment, this clearance 52 surrounds the periphery of the terminal mounting member 60 in a ring shape. This allows the terminal mounting member 60 to move easily in all directions within the plane of the stretchable wiring board 100.

[0022] In this embodiment, openings 31 are formed in the second stretchable base material 30 at locations corresponding to the external terminals 22 and the terminal mounting members 60 . This allows each terminal mounting member 60 to move more easily in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100 . In the case of this embodiment, for example, the opening 51 of the adhesive 50 and the opening 31 of the second stretchable substrate 30 are formed to have the same shape and dimensions, and are arranged at the same position in a plan view.

[0023] In the present embodiment, the second stretchable substrate 30 is not disposed in a location corresponding to each bioelectrode 21. That is, in the second stretchable substrate 30, openings 32 (missing portions of the second stretchable substrate 30) are formed in the locations corresponding to the bioelectrodes 21. Similarly, the adhesive 50 is not placed in a location corresponding to the bioelectrode 21. Therefore, each bioelectrode 21 is exposed on the lower surface side (the living body side) via the second stretchable base material 30 and the adhesive 50.

[0024] Here, the first stretchable substrate 10 is a thin film sheet material that is stretchable in at least one in-plane direction. The term "stretchable" as used here refers to the property of the first stretchable substrate 10 to stretch when tension is applied to the first stretchable substrate 10 and to contract in response to compression, and the change in the dimensional shape of the first stretchable substrate 10 due to extension is greater than the change in the dimensional shape due to contraction.

[0025] The material constituting the first stretchable substrate 10 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, an elastomer material such as nitrile rubber, latex rubber, or urethane-based elastomer. In particular, by using a urethane-based elastomer sheet used for medical purposes, high safety can be achieved even when attached to human skin.

[0026] The thickness of the first stretchable substrate 10 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of not inhibiting the stretching movement of the skin, it is preferably, for example, 50 μm or less, and more preferably 5 μm or less.

[0027] The maximum elongation of the first stretchable substrate 10 is preferably 10% or more, more preferably 50% or more, even more preferably 100% or more, and particularly preferably 200% or more. The maximum elongation of the first stretchable substrate 10 refers to the maximum value of the elongation at which elastic deformation is possible in one in-plane direction. Elongation refers to the percentage of elongation in one in-plane direction due to the application of force, compared to the dimensions when no external force is applied (0% elongation dimensions). For example, an elongation of 50% is 1.5 times the 0% elongation dimension, and an elongation of 100% is twice the 0% elongation dimension.

[0028] The material constituting the second stretchable substrate 30 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, the same elastomer material as that of the first stretchable substrate 10 . However, the second stretchable substrate 30 may be made of a material different from that of the first stretchable substrate 10, as long as it is made of a material that is at least insulating and stretchable. The thickness of the second stretchable substrate 30 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of not inhibiting the stretching movement of the skin, it is preferably, for example, 50 μm or less, and more preferably 5 μm or less.

[0029] The stretchable conductor layer 20 is, for example, a coating film that contains a conductive filler and a binder containing a thermoplastic resin. The stretchable conductor layer 20 can follow the expansion and contraction of the first stretchable substrate 10 well by including a binder containing a thermoplastic resin. The conductive filler is made of, for example, silver, gold, platinum, carbon, copper, aluminum, cobalt, or nickel, or an alloy thereof, etc. As an example, the conductive filler contained in the stretchable conductor layer 20 is silver. Examples of thermoplastic resins include thermoplastic elastomer materials such as urethane resin, acrylic resin, and silicone rubber. It is desirable to select a thermoplastic resin with a low Young's modulus so that the elastic modulus of the stretchable conductor layer 20 in a coated state is equal to or smaller than the elastic modulus of the first stretchable substrate 10. One type of elastomer material may be used, or multiple types of elastomer materials may be mixed and used. The stretchable conductor layer 20 is formed by a printing method. The printing method is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include screen printing, inkjet printing, gravure printing, and offset printing. The stretchable conductor layer 20 can transmit electric signals and current. More specifically, in this embodiment, the bioelectrode 21 comes into contact with the skin of the living body. Biosignals such as electroencephalograms, myoelectric potentials, and electrocardiograms can be acquired from the living body and transmitted to the external device 200 via the wiring portion 23, the external terminal 22, and the terminal mounting member 60.

[0030] When joining the first stretchable substrate 10 and the second stretchable substrate 30, after printing the stretchable conductor layer 20 on the first stretchable substrate 10, the second stretchable substrate 30 is aligned and superimposed on the first stretchable substrate 10, and then heat and pressure are applied. This allows the first stretchable substrate 10 and the second stretchable substrate 30 to be fused to each other. As the heating means, a lamination method using a heated roll or a heat press means can be used.

[0031] The shape and structure of the terminal mounting member 60 are not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the terminal mounting member 60 has, for example, a shape having a disk-shaped flange portion 61 and a convex portion 62 that is smaller in diameter than the flange portion 61 and protrudes upward from the center of the upper surface of the flange portion 61. In the center of the lower surface of the flange portion 61, for example, a recess 63 is formed.

[0032] In this embodiment, the upper surface of the flange portion 61 of the terminal mounting member 60 is connected to (the lower surface of) the peripheral edge of the opening 24 of the external terminal 22 in a circumferential manner. The protrusion 62 of the terminal mounting member 60, a portion of the flange portion 61 closer to the center than the portion connected to the underside of the external terminal 22, and the first stretchable substrate 10 and the openings 11, 24 of the external terminal 22 are exposed upward (on the upper surface side of the stretchable wiring board 100).

[0033] In addition, although Figure 2 shows the upper surface of the convex portion 62 as being flush with the upper surface of the first stretchable substrate 10, in reality, for example, the vertical dimension of the terminal mounting member 60 is larger than the sum of the vertical dimensions (thickness dimension) of the parts of the stretchable wiring board 100 other than the terminal mounting member 60, and the convex portion 62 protrudes above the upper surface of the first stretchable substrate 10.

[0034] In this embodiment, the terminal mounting member 60 is made of a magnetic material that is attracted to a magnet, or is made of a magnet. As an example, the terminal mounting member 60 is not made of a magnet, but is made of a magnetic material such as iron. On the other hand, the attachment portion 210 of the external device 200 is made of a magnet or a magnetic material that is attracted to a magnet. As an example, the attachment portion 210 is made of a magnet (permanent magnet). Furthermore, the connection terminal 211 has a recess that fits over the protrusion 62 , and the terminal mounting member 60 is connected to the connection terminal 211 with the protrusion 62 fitting over the connection terminal 211 . As described above, the protrusions 62 protrude above the top surface of the first stretchable substrate 10, so that the protrusions 62 can be easily fitted into the connection terminals 211 of the external device 200. Furthermore, the magnetic force of the connection terminal 211 ensures that the state in which the protrusion 62 is fitted into the connection terminal 211 is stably maintained. Since the protrusions 62 are fitted to the connection terminals 211 by the magnetic force of the connection terminals 211, the fitting can be accompanied by a so-called clicking sensation.

[0035] On the lower surface side of each bioelectrode 21, a bioconductive member 70, which is an adhesive layer (adhesive) having conductivity, is provided. When the stretchable wiring board 100 is attached to the skin of a living body, each of the bioelectrodes 21 is electrically connected to the skin of the living body via the bioconductive member 70 . The bioconductive member 70 is, for example, a hydrogel.

[0036] In the case of this embodiment, for example, the adhesive 50 is not present in the center in the longitudinal direction of the stretchable wiring board 100, and the adhesive 50 has a structure divided into two parts, left and right. The bioconductive members 70 are disposed on both the left and right ends of the stretchable wiring board 100 in the longitudinal direction.

[0037] The stretchable wiring board 100 further includes an insulating coating 80 that covers the surface (lower surface) of each terminal attachment member 60 that faces the living body. Therefore, when the stretchable wiring board 100 is attached to the skin of a living body, conduction between each terminal mounting member 60 and the skin can be suppressed. Here, the insulating coating 80 is preferably non-adhesive, and is so in this embodiment. This allows each terminal mounting member 60 to move more easily in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100. The fact that the insulating coating 80 is non-adhesive means that the insulating coating 80 has lower adhesiveness than the adhesive 50. The insulating coating 80 is, for example, a non-stretchable resin layer (resin sheet). The insulating coating 80 is, for example, a flexible member having a larger Young's modulus than the first stretchable substrate 10. The insulating coating 80 has lower stretchability than the first stretchable substrate 10, the stretchable conductor layer 20, the second stretchable substrate 30, the adhesive 50, and the bioconductive member 70, and is a member that does not substantially stretch. The material of the insulating coating 80 is not particularly limited, but can be a synthetic resin with low friction, corrosion resistance, and high strength, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyimide (PI), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), or fluororesin. Alternatively, the insulating coating 80 can be made of a paper material with appropriate durability, such as cellulose nanofiber paper. The insulating coating 80 may be formed by forming a coating film (painting film) of a resin material on the lower surface (bottom surface) of the terminal mounting member 60.

[0038] The adhesive 50 preferably has a single-layer structure of adhesive resin, and this is the case in this embodiment. In other words, the adhesive 50 does not include a support film such as a nonwoven fabric layer. This ensures good stretchability of the adhesive 50. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and as long as sufficient elasticity of the adhesive 50 (elasticity that does not hinder movement of the terminal mounting member 60 in the in-plane direction) can be ensured, the adhesive 50 may include a support film such as a nonwoven fabric layer.

[0039] Here, in the present embodiment, each terminal mounting member 60 is connected to the stretchable conductor layer 20 on the underside of the peripheral edge of the opening 24 in the external terminal 22, and is thereby connected to the stretchable conductor layer 20 and ultimately to the first stretchable substrate 10 and other parts (excluding the insulating coating 80) in the stretchable wiring board 100, and the terminal mounting member 60 is not connected to any part other than the underside of the peripheral edge of the opening 24 in the external terminal 22. Therefore, in the case of this embodiment, it can be said that the terminal mounting member 60 is supported only by the portion of the material having elasticity (in the case of this embodiment, only the elastic conductor layer 20). Furthermore, the portion of the stretchable conductor layer 20 that supports the terminal mounting member 60 and the surrounding portion (the stretchable conductor layer 20 and the first stretchable substrate 10) are also made of a stretchable material. Therefore, each terminal mounting member 60 can easily move in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100. It should be noted that the insulating coating 80 does not have, for example, stretchability, but the insulating coating 80 does not support the terminal mounting member 60; rather, it is supported by the terminal mounting member 60, and therefore moves in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100 along with the terminal mounting member 60.

[0040] Next, the operation will be explained using FIG. 5(a) and FIG. 5(b). The stretchable wiring board 100 adheres to the skin in a curved state following the curved shape of the skin of a living body. For this reason, even if the dimensions of each terminal mounting member 60 at the time of shipping the stretchable wiring board 100 match the positions of each mounting section 210 of the external device 200, there is a possibility that the positional relationship of each terminal mounting member 60 will be shifted when the stretchable wiring board 100 is attached to the skin. The distance d shown in FIG. 5(a) is a schematic representation of such a positional deviation distance. In response to these circumstances, according to the stretchable wiring board 100 of this embodiment, each terminal mounting member 60 can be easily moved in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100, and therefore, as shown in Figure 5(b), each terminal mounting member 60 can be moved to a position corresponding to each mounting portion 210, and each terminal mounting member 60 can be attached to each mounting portion 210. When each terminal mounting member 60 moves in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100, the stretchable conductor layer 20 and the first stretchable substrate 10 supporting the terminal mounting member 60 stretch while maintaining the connection state (mechanical and electrical connection state) between the terminal mounting member 60 and the stretchable conductor layer 20. Furthermore, when the stretchable conductor layer 20 and the first stretchable substrate 10 stretch, the second stretchable substrate 30, the adhesive 50 and the bioconducting member 70 can also stretch.

[0041] <Modification 1 of the First Embodiment> Next, a first modification of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The stretchable wiring board 100 according to this modification differs from the stretchable wiring board 100 according to the first embodiment described above in the points described below, and is otherwise configured in the same way as the stretchable wiring board 100 according to the first embodiment described above.

[0042] In the above first embodiment, an example was described in which the external terminal 22 and the terminal mounting member 60 are joined by welding a silver paste coating that is thermoplastic and exhibits hot melt properties using a technique such as hot pressing. In this modified example, in order to further improve the joint reliability between the external terminals 22 and the terminal mounting member 60, a conductive tape member (conductive tape 90) is interposed between the external terminals 22 and the terminal mounting member 60, as shown in Figure 6. That is, the terminal mounting member 60 is attached to the external terminal 22 via the conductive tape 90 .

[0043] As shown in Figure 6, the conductive tape 90 is formed in a circular ring shape that surrounds the periphery of the convex portion 62, and the upper surface of the peripheral edge of the flange portion 61 and the lower surface of the peripheral edge of the opening 24 in the external terminal 22 are attached to each other via the conductive tape 90. The conductive tape 90 has adhesive properties on both sides and is conductive in the thickness direction. That is, the conductive tape 90 is, for example, an anisotropic conductive sheet. However, the conductive tape 90 may be other than an anisotropic conductive sheet.

[0044] The rigidity of the conductive tape 90 is an intermediate value between the rigidity of the terminal mounting member 60 (for example, a metal member such as iron) and the rigidity of the stretchable conductor layer 20. For this reason, the conductive tape 90 does not stretch as much as the stretchable conductor layer 20, but is more stretchable than the terminal mounting member 60, which is essentially a rigid body. Therefore, the conductive tape 90 functions as a rigidity buffer, so to speak, between the terminal mounting member 60 and the stretchable conductor layer 20. This makes it possible to prevent the portion of the stretchable conductor layer 20 near the terminal mounting member 60 from breaking.

[0045] <Modification 2 of the First Embodiment> Next, a second modification of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The stretchable wiring board 100 according to this modification differs from the stretchable wiring board 100 according to the first embodiment described above in the points described below, and is otherwise configured in the same way as the stretchable wiring board 100 according to the first embodiment described above. In this modified example, slits 53 are formed in the adhesive 50 around the periphery of each terminal mounting member 60. This allows the terminal mounting members 60 to move more easily in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100. The shape of the slit 53 is not particularly limited, but one example is an annular shape that surrounds the periphery of the terminal mounting member 60 in a plan view. The slits 53 preferably penetrate the adhesive 50 in the thickness direction, but may be formed only in a part of the thickness direction of the adhesive 50 . The structure of this modification (the structure in which the adhesive 50 has the slits 53) can also be employed in the first modification.

[0046] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The stretchable wiring board 100 according to this embodiment differs from the stretchable wiring board 100 according to the first embodiment described above in the points described below, and is otherwise configured in the same way as the stretchable wiring board 100 according to the first embodiment described above.

[0047] 8, in the case of this embodiment, an external terminal 22 is formed on the surface of the second stretchable substrate 30 facing the first stretchable substrate 10. A terminal attachment member 60 is provided on the upper surface of the external terminal 22, and the terminal attachment member 60 is exposed on the upper surface side of the stretchable wiring board 100 through the openings 24 and 11. That is, openings are formed in the first stretchable substrate at the locations where the external terminals 22 are formed, and the external terminals are exposed from the first stretchable substrate through the openings. At the location where the bioelectrode 21 is formed, an opening 32 (missing portion) is formed in the second stretchable substrate 30, and the bioelectrode 21 is exposed through the opening 32 on the back surface (lower surface) of the stretchable wiring board 100 opposite the surface (upper surface) on which the external terminal 22 is exposed. The terminal attachment member 60 is conductive and is provided on the external terminal 22, and is exposed through the opening 11 of the first stretchable substrate 10 (on the upper surface side).

[0048] Thus, in this embodiment, the stretchable conductor layer 20 includes a first portion 20a formed on the lower surface of the first stretchable substrate 10 and a second portion 20b formed on the upper surface of the second stretchable substrate 30. Of these, the first portion 20a has the bioelectrode 21 and the wiring portion 23 and also has an opening 24, and the second portion 20b constitutes the external terminal 22.

[0049] The first portion 20a and the second portion 20b are mechanically and electrically connected to each other by welding them together using hot press working. That is, the upper surface of the peripheral edge of the external terminal 22 (second portion 20b) is mechanically and electrically connected to the lower surface of the peripheral edge of the opening 24 in the first portion 20a.

[0050] The lower surface of the flange portion 61 of the terminal mounting member 60 and the upper surface of the second portion 20b may also be welded and fixed by hot pressing, or a conductive tape may be interposed between the lower surface of the flange portion 61 of the terminal mounting member 60 and the upper surface of the second portion 20b as in the above-mentioned variant example 1.

[0051] More specifically, in this embodiment, the inner diameters of openings 11 and 24 are larger than the outer diameter of terminal mounting member 60, and in plan view, the entire terminal mounting member 60 is contained inside openings 11 and 24. In addition, in Figure 8, it is shown that there is a gap between the upper surface of the second stretchable substrate 30 and the lower surface of the first part 20a of the stretchable conductor layer 20 (the lower surface of the wiring portion 23), but in reality, the second stretchable substrate 30 and the first part 20a are bent in a direction toward each other and are in close contact with each other, so that the gap as shown in Figure 8 does not actually exist.

[0052] In the case of this embodiment, the lower surface side (living body side) of the terminal mounting member 60 is covered with the second stretchable base material 30, so the insulating coating 80 in the first embodiment can be omitted. Furthermore, since the entire surface of the terminal mounting member 60 is supported by the external terminals 22, the terminal mounting member 60 can be more stably supported by the stretchable conductor layer 20 (particularly the external terminals 22).

[0053] Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The stretchable wiring board 100 according to this embodiment differs from the stretchable wiring board 100 according to the second embodiment described above in the points described below, and is otherwise configured in the same way as the stretchable wiring board 100 according to the second embodiment described above.

[0054] In the present embodiment, the adhesive 50 does not have openings 51 and is present in locations corresponding to the external terminals 22 and the terminal mounting member 60. Therefore, while the above-described embodiment and modified examples illustrate a structure in which the adhesive 50 is divided into two parts, left and right, in the present embodiment, for example, the entire adhesive 50 is one piece. The terminal mounting member 60 is disposed on the lower surface side of the adhesive 50 .

[0055] In this embodiment, the terminal mounting member 60 has the protruding portion 62 supported by the adhesive 50 . More specifically, the convex portion 62 is embedded in three layers from below: the adhesive 50, the second stretchable substrate 30, and the external terminal 22; and the three layers of the adhesive 50, the second stretchable substrate 30, and the external terminal 22 have an upwardly convex protruding shape that reflects the shape of the convex portion 62.

[0056] In the present embodiment, an adhesive 50 is interposed between the external terminals 22 and the terminal mounting member 60, and the terminal mounting member 60 is attached to the mounting portion 210 via the adhesive 50 and the external terminals 22. By attaching the terminal mounting member 60 to the mounting portion 210 via the adhesive 50 and the external terminals 22, the external terminals 22 come into contact with the connection terminals 211, and the external terminals 22 and the connection terminals 211 are electrically connected to each other.

[0057] More specifically, in this embodiment, an opening 11 is formed in the first stretchable substrate 10 at the location where the external terminal 22 is formed, and the external terminal 22 is exposed (on the upper surface side) from the first stretchable substrate 10 through the opening 11. In addition, at the location where the bioelectrode 21 is formed, an opening 32 (missing portion) is formed in the second stretchable substrate 30, and the bioelectrode 21 is exposed through the opening 32 on the back surface (lower surface) of the stretchable wiring board 100 relative to the surface (upper surface) on which the external terminal 22 is exposed. A second stretchable substrate 30 and an adhesive 50 are interposed between the external terminal 22 and the terminal mounting member 60, and the terminal mounting member 60 is attached to the mounting portion 210 via the adhesive 50, the second stretchable substrate 30 and the external terminal 22. The sum of the thickness dimensions of the adhesive 50, second elastic base material 30 and external terminal 22 covering the terminal mounting member 60 is, for example, less than 100 μm, whereas the vertical dimension of the convex portion 62 of the terminal mounting member 60 is, for example, at least 0.5 mm (500 μm). This means that even if the adhesive 50, second elastic base material 30 and external terminal 22 are interposed between the convex portion 62 and the connection terminal 211, the convex portion 62 can be fitted into the connection terminal 211.

[0058] In this embodiment, since the terminal mounting member 60 is not electrically connected to anything, it does not need to be conductive; it only needs to be magnetic. Iron is a suitable material for the terminal mounting member 60 from the standpoints of cost and workability. However, iron is prone to rust in the external environment, so it is often nickel-plated. Because nickel is known to have some adverse effects on living organisms, it is preferable that the outer surface of the terminal mounting member 60 (over the nickel plating) be coated with insulating paint.

[0059] In this embodiment as well, it is preferable that the adhesive 50 has a single film structure of adhesive resin, which allows the terminal mounting member 60 to be easily moved within the plane.

[0060] In this embodiment, a clearance may exist between the adhesive 50 and the terminal mounting member 60 around (on the sides of) the portions of the terminal mounting member 60 that are embedded in the adhesive 50 (the convex portions 62 and the flange portions 61), which allows each terminal mounting member 60 to move more easily in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100. Furthermore, for example, an air layer may be present between the flange portion 61 and the adhesive 50 around the periphery of the convex portion 62, which allows each terminal mounting member 60 to move more easily in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100.

[0061] [Fourth embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 10(a) to 11. FIG. The stretchable wiring board 100 according to this embodiment differs from the stretchable wiring board 100 according to the first embodiment described above in the points described below, and is otherwise configured in the same manner as the stretchable wiring board 100 according to the second embodiment described above.

[0062] In each of the above embodiments and modified examples, examples have been described in which the terminal mounting member 60 is supported only by a portion of a stretchable material, whereas in the present embodiment, the terminal mounting member 60 is supported by a portion of a non-stretchable material (the insulating coating 80 described below), and moves in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100 together with the insulating coating 80.

[0063] In the present embodiment, the terminal mounting member 60 is formed by, for example, caulking and fixing a first member 120 and a second member 130 shown in FIG. 11 to each other. The first member 120 has a flange portion 121 and a tubular portion 122 that protrudes upward from the center of the flange portion 121. The upper end of the tubular portion 122 is, for example, open (open). The second member 130 has a flange portion 131 and a tubular portion 132 that protrudes upward from the center of the flange portion 131. The upper end of the tubular portion 132 is closed. A non-stretchable conductor layer 140, which is a non-stretchable conductor layer, is interposed between flange portion 121 and flange portion 131, and an insertion hole 140a is formed in the center thereof, penetrating the non-stretchable conductor layer 140 from top to bottom. As the non-stretchable conductor layer 140, for example, a conductive washer or the like can be used.

[0064] The first member 120 and the second member 130 are fixed by caulking as follows. The second member 130 is placed above the non-stretchable conductor layer 140 with the tubular portion 132 facing upward and the flange portion 131 facing downward. The tubular portion 122 of the first member 120 is protruded from below the non-stretchable conductor layer 140 through the insertion hole 140a and above the non-stretchable conductor layer 140, and the tubular portion 122 is inserted into the inside of the tubular portion 132 from the underside of the flange portion 131, thereby crimping and fixing the first member 120 and the second member 130 together. As a result, the cylindrical portion 132 is deformed into an upwardly convex spherical shape, for example, as shown in FIG. The upper surface of the flange portion 121 is in a state of being pressed against the lower surface of the non-stretchable conductor layer 140 . The lower surface of the flange portion 131 is pressed against the upper surface of the non-stretchable conductor layer 140, and the second member 130 and therefore the entire terminal mounting member 60 including the second member 130 and the first member 120 are electrically connected to the non-stretchable conductor layer 140.

[0065] Furthermore, the upper surface of the peripheral edge of the non-stretchable conductor layer 140 is mechanically and electrically connected (press-welded) to the lower surface of the peripheral edge of the opening 24 in the external terminal 22 . As a result, the stretchable conductor layer 20 is electrically connected to the terminal mounting member 60 via the non-stretchable conductor layer 140 .

[0066] Here, in Figure 10(a), for convenience of illustration, the stretchable conductor layer 20 and the insulating coating 80 are spaced apart from each other vertically, but the first stretchable substrate 10 and the stretchable conductor layer 20 are very flexible, and in reality, as shown in Figure 10(b), for example, a portion of the first stretchable substrate 10 and the stretchable conductor layer 20 flexes and deforms in the direction perpendicular to the surface (downward), so that the lower surface of the stretchable conductor layer 20 or the lower surface of the first stretchable substrate 10 in that portion is pressed against the upper surface of the portion of the insulating coating 80 that protrudes around the first member 120 and the non-stretchable conductor layer 140. In addition, Figure 10(b) shows that the first stretchable substrate 10, rather than the stretchable conductor layer 20, is pressed against the portion of the insulating coating 80 that protrudes to the right of the first member 120 and the non-stretchable conductor layer 140, but depending on the range in which the stretchable conductor layer 20 is formed, the stretchable conductor layer 20 may also be pressed against the portion of the insulating coating 80 that protrudes to the right of the first member 120 and the non-stretchable conductor layer 140.

[0067] In this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 132 (protrusion) of the second member 130 is elastically (by spring force) fitted into the recess of the connection terminal 211 of the external device 200. Therefore, the terminal mounting member 60 and the mounting portion 210 do not need to be attracted to each other by magnetic force.

[0068] In the case of this embodiment, each terminal mounting member 60 can move in the in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board 100 together with the insulating coating 80 (integrally with the insulating coating 80 and the non-stretchable conductor layer 140).

[0069] Although the embodiments and modifications have been described above with reference to the drawings, these are merely examples of the present invention, and various configurations other than those described above can also be adopted.

[0070] For example, the structure in which the terminal mounting member 60 is attached to the stretchable conductor layer 20 via the conductive tape 90 as in the first modified example above can also be employed in the second, third and fourth embodiments and the second modified example above. Furthermore, the structure in which slits 53 are formed in the adhesive 50 around the terminal mounting member 60 as in the second modification can also be employed in the second, third and fourth embodiments.

[0071] Furthermore, the terminal mounting member 60 of the type in which two members (the first member 120 and the second member 130) are crimped and fixed to each other with a sheet sandwiched therebetween, as described in the fourth embodiment, may be applied to embodiments other than the fourth embodiment. That is, for example, the external terminal 22 may be sandwiched between the first member 120 and the second member 130 from above and below, and the terminal mounting member 60 formed by the first member 120 and the second member 130 may be fixed to the external terminal 22, and the terminal mounting member 60 may be mechanically and electrically connected to the external terminal 22.

[0072] Furthermore, the terminal mounting member 60 may be of a type other than that described above. For example, the terminal mounting member 60 may have a shape corresponding to the upper second member 130 of the terminal mounting member 60 shown in Fig. 10. In this case, the lower surface of the flange portion 131 of the terminal mounting member 60 is mechanically and electrically connected to the stretchable conductor layer 20 by thermocompression bonding or conductive tape 90. In this case, as in the fourth embodiment, the terminal mounting member 60 elastically fits into the mounting portion 210, so there is no need for the terminal mounting member 60 and the mounting portion 210 to be attracted to each other by magnetic force. Furthermore, when the terminal mounting member 60 is of the magnetic attraction type described in the first embodiment, etc., a type in which two members are crimped and fixed to each other with a sheet sandwiched therebetween may be adopted, as described in the fourth embodiment. Furthermore, the terminal mounting member 60 and the mounting portion 210 may not have a fitting structure and may be attached to each other only by magnetic force.

[0073] The present embodiment encompasses the following technical ideas. (1) a first stretchable substrate; A stretchable conductor layer; a second stretchable substrate disposed opposite the first stretchable substrate with the stretchable conductor layer sandwiched therebetween; A stretchable wiring substrate comprising: The stretchable conductor layer includes a plurality of bioelectrodes, a plurality of external terminals, and a wiring portion connecting the bioelectrodes and the external terminals, The stretchable wiring board is an adhesive for fixing the stretchable wiring board to a living body; a plurality of terminal mounting members that are attached to mounting portions of an external device to electrically connect each of the plurality of external terminals to a plurality of connection terminals of the external device; Further provided with At least the surface of the terminal attachment member facing the living body is exposed from the adhesive, The terminal mounting member is movable in an in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board. (2) The stretchable wiring board according to (1), wherein openings are formed in the adhesive at locations corresponding to the external terminals and the terminal mounting members. (3) The stretchable wiring board according to (2), wherein a clearance exists between the inner peripheral edge of the opening of the adhesive and the outer peripheral surface of the terminal mounting member. (4) The terminal mounting member is conductive, openings are formed in the first elastic base material and the external terminals, the terminal mounting member is connected to a peripheral edge of the opening in the external terminal, and a portion of the terminal mounting member is exposed through the first elastic base material and the opening in the external terminal, The stretchable wiring board according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the portion of each terminal mounting member is attached to the mounting portion of the external device, so that each of the plurality of external terminals is electrically connected to a plurality of connection terminals of the external device via the corresponding terminal mounting member. (5) The stretchable wiring board according to any one of (1) to (3), which is provided with an insulating coating that covers the surface of the terminal attachment member that faces the living body. (6) An opening is formed in the first stretchable substrate at a location where the external terminal is formed, and the external terminal is exposed from the first stretchable substrate through the opening; An opening is formed in the second stretchable base material at a location where the bioelectrode is formed, and the bioelectrode is exposed through the opening on a surface of the stretchable wiring board opposite to a surface on which the external terminal is exposed, The terminal mounting member is conductive, provided on the external terminal, and exposed through the opening of the first stretchable substrate. (1) or (2) The stretchable wiring board according to. (7) The stretchable wiring board according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the adhesive has a single film structure of adhesive resin. (8) The adhesive is interposed between the external terminal and the terminal mounting member, The stretchable wiring board according to (1), wherein the terminal mounting member is attached to the mounting portion via the adhesive and the external terminal. (9) The stretchable wiring board according to (8), wherein the terminal mounting member is supported by the adhesive. (10) An opening is formed in the first stretchable substrate at a location where the external terminal is formed, and the external terminal is exposed from the first stretchable substrate through the opening; An opening is formed in the second stretchable base material at a location where the bioelectrode is formed, and the bioelectrode is exposed through the opening on a surface of the stretchable wiring board opposite to a surface on which the external terminal is exposed, the second stretchable substrate and the adhesive are interposed between the external terminal and the terminal mounting member, The stretchable wiring board according to (8) or (9), wherein the terminal attachment member is attached to the attachment portion via the adhesive, the second stretchable base material, and the external terminal. (11) The stretchable wiring board according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein the terminal attachment member is attached to the external terminal via a conductive tape.

[0074] In addition, in the case of a structure in which the terminal mounting member 60 is attached to the mounting portion 210 via the adhesive 50 and the external terminal 22, as in the third embodiment described above, the terminal mounting member 60 does not necessarily have to be movable in the in-plane direction of the elastic wiring board 100. That is, this embodiment includes the following technical idea. <1> A first stretchable substrate; A stretchable conductor layer; a second stretchable substrate disposed opposite the first stretchable substrate with the stretchable conductor layer sandwiched therebetween; A stretchable wiring substrate comprising: The stretchable conductor layer includes a bioelectrode, an external terminal, and a wiring portion connecting the bioelectrode and the external terminal, The stretchable wiring board is an adhesive for fixing the stretchable wiring board to a living body; a terminal mounting member that is mounted to a mounting portion of an external device to electrically connect the external terminal to a connection terminal of the external device; Further provided with the adhesive is interposed between the external terminal and the terminal mounting member, The terminal mounting member is a stretchable wiring board that is mounted to the mounting portion via the adhesive and the external terminal. <2> The terminal mounting member is supported by the adhesive. <1> The stretchable wiring substrate according to claim 1. <3> an opening is formed in the first stretchable substrate at a location where the external terminal is formed, and the external terminal is exposed from the first stretchable substrate through the opening; An opening is formed in the second stretchable base material at a location where the bioelectrode is formed, and the bioelectrode is exposed through the opening on a surface of the stretchable wiring board opposite to a surface on which the external terminal is exposed, the second stretchable substrate and the adhesive are interposed between the external terminal and the terminal mounting member, The terminal mounting member is attached to the mounting portion via the adhesive, the second stretchable base material, and the external terminal. <1> or <2> The stretchable wiring substrate according to claim 1. <4> The adhesive has a single film structure of adhesive resin. <1> from <3> The stretchable wiring board according to any one of the preceding claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 10 First stretchable base material 11 Aperture 20 Stretchable conductor layer 20a Part 1 20b 2nd part 21 Bioelectrodes 22 External terminal 23 Wiring section 24 Aperture 30 Second elastic base material 31 Aperture 32 Aperture 50 adhesive 51 Aperture 52 Clearance 53 Slit 60 Terminal mounting member 61 Flange 62 Convex part 63 Recess 70 Bioconductive materials 80 Insulation coating 90 Conductive Tape 100 Stretchable wiring board 120 First member 121 Flange 122 Cylinder part 130 Second member 131 Flange 132 Cylinder part 140 Non-stretchable conductor layer 140a Insertion hole 200 External equipment 210 Mounting part 211 Connection terminal

Claims

1. A first stretchable substrate; A stretchable conductor layer; a second stretchable substrate disposed opposite the first stretchable substrate with the stretchable conductor layer sandwiched therebetween; A stretchable wiring substrate comprising: The stretchable conductor layer includes a plurality of bioelectrodes, a plurality of external terminals, and a wiring portion connecting the bioelectrodes and the external terminals, The stretchable wiring board is an adhesive for fixing the stretchable wiring board to a living body; a plurality of terminal mounting members that are attached to mounting portions of an external device to electrically connect each of the plurality of external terminals to a plurality of connection terminals of the external device; Further provided with At least the surface of the terminal attachment member facing the living body is exposed from the adhesive, The terminal mounting member is movable in an in-plane direction of the stretchable wiring board.

2. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 1 , wherein openings are formed in the adhesive at locations corresponding to the external terminals and the terminal mounting members.

3. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 2 , wherein a clearance exists between the inner peripheral edge of the opening in the adhesive and the outer peripheral surface of the terminal mounting member.

4. the terminal mounting member is conductive; openings are formed in the first elastic base material and the external terminals; the terminal mounting member is connected to a peripheral edge of the opening in the external terminal, and a portion of the terminal mounting member is exposed through the first stretchable base material and the opening in the external terminal, The portion of each terminal mounting member is attached to the mounting portion of the external device, so that each of the plurality of external terminals is electrically connected to a plurality of connection terminals of the external device via the corresponding terminal mounting member. The stretchable wiring board according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 1 , further comprising an insulating coating covering a surface of the terminal mounting member that faces the living body.

6. an opening is formed in the first stretchable substrate at a location where the external terminal is formed, and the external terminal is exposed from the first stretchable substrate through the opening; An opening is formed in the second stretchable base material at a location where the bioelectrode is formed, and the bioelectrode is exposed through the opening on a surface of the stretchable wiring board opposite to a surface on which the external terminal is exposed, The stretchable wiring board according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the terminal mounting member is conductive, is provided on the external terminal, and is exposed through the opening of the first stretchable substrate.

7. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive has a single film structure of an adhesive resin.

8. the adhesive is interposed between the external terminal and the terminal mounting member, The stretchable wiring board according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal mounting member is attached to the mounting portion via the adhesive and the external terminal.

9. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 8 , wherein the terminal mounting member is supported by the adhesive.

10. an opening is formed in the first stretchable substrate at a location where the external terminal is formed, and the external terminal is exposed from the first stretchable substrate through the opening; An opening is formed in the second stretchable base material at a location where the bioelectrode is formed, and the bioelectrode is exposed through the opening on a surface of the stretchable wiring board opposite to a surface on which the external terminal is exposed, the second elastic base material and the adhesive are interposed between the external terminal and the terminal mounting member, The stretchable wiring board according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the terminal attachment member is attached to the attachment portion via the adhesive, the second stretchable base material, and the external terminal.

11. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal attachment member is attached to the external terminal via a conductive tape.

Images