Extensible wiring board and current supply device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide: an extensible wiring board which has a simple configuration and with which reliable mechanical connection and electrical connection with a device body can be established; and a current supply device comprising the extensible wiring board. [Solution] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an extensible wiring board is provided. The extensible wiring board comprises: an extensible sheet; an extensible conductive layer; an external terminal; a first reinforcing part; and a second reinforcing part. The extensible sheet has an opening which penetrates in the thickness direction thereof. The extensible conductive layer is supported by the extensible sheet. The external terminal is electrically connected to the extensible conductive layer and is inserted into the opening. At least a portion of the first reinforcing part is disposed on one surface side of the extensible conductive layer, and at least a portion of the second reinforcing part is disposed on the other surface side of the extensible conductive layer. The first and second reinforcing parts are configured to hold the external terminal therebetween and reinforce at least a portion around the external terminal of the extensible conductive layer.

Description

Stretchable wiring board and current supply device

[0001] The present invention relates to a stretchable wiring board and a current supply device.

[0002] Electrical muscle stimulation devices (EMS devices) have been used for example as devices for supplying electric current to living organisms (see Patent Document 1). The EMS device (1) described in Patent Document 1 includes an external device (3) and a stretchable wiring board (10), and the stretchable wiring board (10) is provided with crimp-type conductive hooks (21 a, 21 b). The conductive hooks (21 a, 21 b) are assembled by crimping a cap portion (210) and a protrusion portion (220), respectively, so as to sandwich a non-stretchable substrate (12).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-34387

[0004] However, because the cap portion (210) and protrusion (220) of the conductive hooks (21a, 21b) are crimped to sandwich the highly rigid non-stretchable substrate, the protrusion (220) is exposed to the outside. To avoid this, it is necessary to use insulating tape to cover the end of the protrusion (220). This makes the stretchable wiring board (10) (EMS device (1)) thick and the assembly process complicated. In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a stretchable wiring board with a simple configuration that can be reliably mechanically and electrically connected to the device main body, and a current supply device equipped with this stretchable wiring board.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stretchable wiring board. This stretchable wiring board comprises a stretchable sheet, a stretchable conductive layer, an external terminal, a first reinforcing portion, and a second reinforcing portion. The stretchable sheet has an opening penetrating through it in the thickness direction. The stretchable conductive layer is supported by the stretchable sheet. The external terminal is electrically connected to the stretchable conductive layer and is inserted through the opening. At least a portion of the first reinforcing portion is arranged on one side of the stretchable conductive layer, and at least a portion of the second reinforcing portion is arranged on the other side of the stretchable conductive layer, and they are configured to hold the external terminal therebetween and to reinforce at least the periphery of the external terminal of the stretchable conductive layer.

[0006] According to this aspect, a reliable mechanical connection and electrical connection with the device main body can be achieved with a simple configuration.

[0007] 5 is a diagram showing an exploded state of the current supply device according to the first embodiment ((a) is a plan view of the stretchable wiring board, (b) is a plan view of the device main body, and (c) is a bottom view of the device main body). A cross-sectional view along line A-A in FIG. 1. A cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing process of the stretchable wiring board of FIG. 1. A cross-sectional view showing a stretchable wiring board according to a second embodiment. A cross-sectional view showing an exploded state of the current supply device according to a third embodiment ((a) is a plan view of the stretchable wiring board, and (b) is a bottom view of the device main body). A cross-sectional view along line B-B in FIG. 5. A cross-sectional view showing a stretchable wiring board according to a fourth embodiment.

[0008] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various features shown in the following embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0009] Incidentally, the program for realizing the software appearing in this embodiment may be provided as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, or may be provided so as to be downloadable from an external server, or may be provided so that the program is started on an external computer and its functions are realized on a client terminal (so-called cloud computing).

[0010] In this embodiment, the term "unit" may also include, for example, a combination of hardware resources implemented by a circuit in the broad sense and software information processing that can be specifically realized by these hardware resources. In addition, this embodiment handles various types of information, which may be represented by, for example, physical values ​​of signal values ​​representing voltages and currents, high and low signal values ​​as a binary bit set consisting of 0 or 1, or quantum superposition (so-called quantum bits), and communication and calculations may be performed on a circuit in the broad sense.

[0011] Furthermore, a circuit in the broad sense is a circuit realized by at least an appropriate combination of a circuit, circuitry, a processor, a memory, etc. In other words, it includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (e.g., a simple programmable logic device (SPLD), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA)), etc.

[0012] First Embodiment First, a first embodiment of the current supply device of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an exploded state of the current supply device according to the first embodiment ((a) is a plan view of the stretchable wiring board, (b) is a plan view of the device main body, and (c) is a bottom view of the device main body). Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a manufacturing process for the stretchable wiring board of Fig. 1. In the following description, the front side of the paper in Figs. 1(a) and 1(b) will also be referred to as the "front" or "top", and the back side of the paper will also be referred to as the "back" or "bottom", and the back side of the paper in Fig. 1(c) will also be referred to as the "front" or "top", and the front side of the paper will also be referred to as the "back" or "bottom". In addition, the upper side in Figures 2 and 3(b) to (d) will also be referred to as the "front" or "top," and the lower side will also be referred to as the "back" or "bottom," and the lower side in Figure 3(a) will also be referred to as the "front" or "top," and the upper side will also be referred to as the "back" or "bottom."

[0013] The current supply device 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a device for supplying current to a living organism and includes a stretchable wiring board 1 and a device main body 10 attached to the stretchable wiring board 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the stretchable wiring board 1 includes a stretchable sheet 2, a stretchable conductive layer 3, a bioadhesive layer 4, a pair of hook portions (external terminals) 5, a first reinforcing portion 6, and a second reinforcing portion 7. Note that FIG. 1 shows the stretchable conductive layer 3 and the first reinforcing portion 6 located on the back (lower) side of the stretchable sheet 2 in a see-through manner. The stretchable wiring board 1 is configured so that the stretchable conductive layer 3 faces the user's skin. As shown in FIG. 1, the stretchable sheet 2 (stretchable wiring board 1) is elongated. In this configuration, multiple stretchable wiring boards 1 having shapes appropriate for the area of ​​the skin to be treated may be provided. In this case, selecting a desired stretchable wiring board 1 and attaching the device main body 10 to it makes it easier to more reliably perform skin treatment according to the user's requirements.

[0014] The stretchable sheet 2 has the function of supporting each part including the stretchable conductive layer 3. This stretchable sheet 2 is stretchable in any direction. The constituent material of the stretchable sheet 2 is not particularly limited, but examples include elastomer materials such as nitrile rubber, latex rubber, and urethane-based elastomers. By using a urethane-based elastomer sheet used in medical applications as the stretchable sheet 2, high safety can be achieved even when attached to the skin surface of the human body. The thickness of the stretchable sheet 2 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of not inhibiting the stretching movement of the skin surface of the living body to which the stretchable wiring board 1 is applied, it is preferably about 100 μm or less, more preferably about 25 μm or less, and even more preferably about 10 μm or less.

[0015] The maximum elongation of the stretchable sheet 2 is preferably about 10% or more, more preferably about 50% or more, even more preferably about 100% or more, and particularly preferably about 200% or more. For example, a stretchable sheet 2 made of the above-mentioned materials can have a maximum elongation of about 300% or more. Here, the maximum elongation of the stretchable sheet 2 refers to the maximum elongation at which the sheet can be elastically deformed in one in-plane direction. Note that, in this specification, 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, a 50% elongation is 1.5 times the 0% elongation dimension, and a 100% elongation is twice the 0% elongation dimension.

[0016] The stretchable sheet 2 has an opening 21 penetrating through it in the thickness direction. A hook portion 5 is inserted into this opening 21 and is exposed to the outside of the stretchable wiring board 1. The stretchable conductive layer 3 is supported on the lower surface (other surface) of the stretchable sheet 2. This stretchable conductive layer 3 may be disposed in direct contact with the stretchable sheet 2, or may be disposed via an intermediate layer for any purpose. As shown in FIG. 1 , a pair of stretchable conductive layers 3 are provided on the left and right, and the two stretchable conductive layers 3 have approximately the same shape. However, the number of stretchable conductive layers 3 is not limited to two, and may be three or more. In this case, the multiple stretchable conductive layers 3 may have the same shape or different shapes.

[0017] Such a stretchable conductive layer 3 can also stretch in any direction. The stretchable conductive layer 3 can be composed of, for example, a composite material (stretchable conductive material) containing a conductive filler and an elastomer. Examples of the conductive filler include carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes and carbon nanohorns, and metal materials such as gold, silver, copper, and nickel. Examples of the elastomer include thermoplastic elastomers such as polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyester-based thermoplastic elastomers, and urethane-based thermoplastic elastomers, and rubber materials such as ethylene propylene rubber, neoprene rubber, natural rubber, and silicone rubber. If such a composite material is used, the stretchable conductive layer 3 can be produced relatively easily using a printing method.

[0018] The thickness and width of the stretchable conductive layer 3 can be determined based on the change in resistance of the stretchable conductive layer 3 when the stretchable sheet 2 is stretched, as well as the constraints of the overall thickness and width of the stretchable wiring board 1. From the viewpoint of ensuring good stretchability by following the dimensional changes of the stretchable sheet 2 when stretched, the width of the stretchable conductive layer 3 is preferably about 1000 μm or less, more preferably about 500 μm or less, and even more preferably about 200 μm or less. The thickness of the stretchable conductive layer 3 is preferably about 25 μm or less, and more preferably about 10 μm or more and 15 μm or less.

[0019] A bioadhesive layer 4 is provided on the lower surface (other surface) of the stretchable conductive layer 3. This bioadhesive layer 4 is configured to be adhered to the user's skin surface. That is, the bioadhesive layer 4 functions to hold the entire current supply device 100 on the user's skin surface. As shown in FIG. 2 , a pair of bioadhesive layers 4 are also provided, one on each side, and the two bioadhesive layers 4 have approximately the same shape. Each bioadhesive layer 4 is large enough to encompass the stretchable conductive layer 3 in a planar view. By covering the entire stretchable conductive layer 3 with the bioadhesive layer 4, it becomes easier to supply current more uniformly to the skin surface. Note that, like the stretchable conductive layer 3 described above, the number of bioadhesive layers 4 is not limited to two and may be three or more. In this case, the multiple stretchable conductive layers 3 may have the same or different shapes. The bioadhesive layer 4 can be obtained by applying a pre-gelled bioadhesive layer-forming material to a release sheet to form a coating film, and then impregnating the coating with an electrolyte or crosslinking the coating. Alternatively, the bioadhesive layer may be obtained by supplying the bioadhesive layer-forming material before gelation so as to cover the stretchable conductive layer 3 and crosslinking the bioadhesive layer. Examples of the crosslinking (polymerization) method include heating, irradiating with light, or irradiating with radiation to the bioadhesive layer-forming material.

[0020] Such a bioadhesive layer 4 can also stretch in any direction. It is preferable that such a bioadhesive layer 4 is a gel that has adhesive strength to the skin surface, and in particular a highly hydrated adhesive gel. That is, it is preferable that the bioadhesive layer 4 is in a gel state. There are no particular limitations on the thickness of the bioadhesive layer 4, but from the viewpoint of ensuring high conformability of the stretchable wiring board 1 to the skin surface and the mechanical strength of the bioadhesive layer 4, it is preferably about 50 μm or more and 1000 μm or less, and more preferably about 100 μm or more and 750 μm or less.

[0021] The bioadhesive layer 4 is not limited to a configuration that covers the entire stretchable conductive layer 3, but can also be a configuration that covers only a portion of the stretchable conductive layer 3. In the latter case, the stretchable wiring board 1 is attached such that the stretchable conductive layer 3 directly adheres to the skin surface in areas where the bioadhesive layer 4 is not present, and the bioadhesive layer 4 directly adheres to the skin surface in areas where the bioadhesive layer 4 is present. In this case, the presence of the bioadhesive layer 4 ensures that the stretchable wiring board 1 remains adhered to the skin surface of the user, while a stronger current can be used to provide muscle stimulation to the skin surface where the stretchable conductive layer 3 directly adheres.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2 , the hook portion (external terminal) 5 is electrically connected to the stretchable conductive layer 3 and is inserted through the opening 21. In this embodiment, the hook portion 5 is configured as a single component. This makes it possible to reduce the number of components in the stretchable wiring board 1. Furthermore, because the hook portion 5 is a molded plate product, it is possible to make it thinner. This can contribute to making the stretchable wiring board 1 as a whole lighter and / or thinner.

[0023] The hook portion 5 has a columnar portion 51 inserted into the opening 21 and a flange portion 52 protruding laterally from the columnar portion 51. However, the flange portion 52 may be omitted, i.e., the hook portion 5 may be a columnar component. The hook portion 5 preferably includes a soft magnetic material or a magnetized hard magnetic material. A soft magnetic material is a material that is easily magnetized when a magnetic field is applied and returns to its original state when the magnetic field is removed, such as pure iron or low-carbon steel. The hook portion 5 may be formed by copper-plating and / or nickel-plating a core made of a soft magnetic material. Plating can increase the conductivity of the hook portion 5 or provide rust resistance to the hook portion 5. An example of a magnetized hard magnetic material is an alnico magnet.

[0024] At least a portion of the first reinforcing part 6 is disposed on the upper surface (one surface) side of the stretchable conductive layer 3, and at least a portion of the second reinforcing part 7 is disposed on the lower surface (the other surface) side of the stretchable conductive layer 3. The hook part 5 is held between them, and they are configured to reinforce at least the periphery of the hook part 5 of the stretchable conductive layer 3. This prevents the hook part 5 from falling off the stretchable wiring board 1 even if the device main body 10 is repeatedly attached to and detached from the stretchable wiring board 1, and can suitably prevent or suppress damage to the stretchable wiring board 1.

[0025] In this embodiment, the first reinforcing portion 6 is a film-like reinforcing film. The first reinforcing portion 6 is a flexible member having a greater Young's modulus than the stretchable sheet 2. Note that in this embodiment, the first reinforcing portion 6 is preferably a member having lower stretchability than the stretchable sheet 2 and substantially no stretch. The constituent material of the first reinforcing portion 6 is preferably a synthetic resin with low sliding properties, corrosion resistance, and high strength. Such synthetic resins are not particularly limited, but examples include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyimide (PI), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and fluororesin. A first reinforcing portion 6 made of such a material has high mechanical strength and can further improve the breakage prevention effect of the stretchable wiring board 1.

[0026] It should be noted that a paper material with appropriate durability (for example, cellulose nanofiber paper) or the like can also be used for the first reinforcing portion 6. The thickness of the first reinforcing portion 6 is preferably approximately 10 μm or more and 200 μm or less, more preferably approximately 25 μm or more and 150 μm or less, and even more preferably approximately 50 μm or more and 100 μm or less. This makes it possible to sufficiently increase the mechanical strength and non-stretchability of the first reinforcing portion 6. It is also possible to suppress the overall thickness of the stretchable wiring board 1.

[0027] At least a portion of the first reinforcing portion (reinforcing film) 6 is located between the stretchable sheet 2 and the stretchable conductive layer 3. In this case, the first reinforcing portion 6 can be brought closer to the hook portion 5, thereby further stabilizing the holding force of the hook portion 5 by the first reinforcing portion 6. Furthermore, the first reinforcing portion (reinforcing film) 6 has a through portion 61 penetrating through its thickness direction, and overlaps with at least a portion of the flange portion 52 when the columnar portion 51 of the hook portion 5 is inserted through the through portion 61. This further stabilizes the holding force of the hook portion 5 by the first reinforcing portion 6. With the above configuration, in this embodiment, a portion of the stretchable conductive layer 3 is located between the flange portion 52 of the hook portion 5 and the stretchable sheet 2. The stretchable conductive layer 3 is electrically connected to the hook portion (external terminal) 5 by directly contacting the flange portion 52. This allows for accurate and reliable electrical connection between the stretchable conductive layer 3 and the hook portion 5.

[0028] In this embodiment, the second reinforcing portion 7 is a film-like reinforcing film. This second reinforcing portion (reinforcing film) 7 includes a film substrate 71 and an adhesive layer 72 supported by the film substrate 71 and in contact with the hook portion (external terminal) 5. This configuration facilitates bonding of the second reinforcing portion 7 to the adhesive body (laminate) of the stretchable sheet 2, the stretchable conductive layer 3, and the first reinforcing portion 6. Furthermore, when manufacturing the stretchable wiring board 1, misalignment of the hook portion 5 with respect to the opening 21 and the through portion 61 can be prevented. This point will be described again later. The same material as that of the first reinforcing portion (reinforcing film) 6 can be used as the constituent material of the film substrate 71. The thickness of the film substrate 71 is not particularly limited, but is preferably approximately 25 μm to 250 μm, more preferably approximately 50 μm to 200 μm, and even more preferably approximately 50 μm to 100 μm. This allows the mechanical strength and non-stretchability of the film substrate 71 to be sufficiently increased.

[0029] Examples of materials constituting the adhesive layer 72 include acrylic adhesives, urethane adhesives, silicone adhesives, natural rubber adhesives, and synthetic rubber adhesives. These adhesives may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The thickness of the adhesive layer 72 is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 5 μm to 200 μm, more preferably about 15 μm to 150 μm, and even more preferably about 15 μm to 50 μm.

[0030] The stretchable wiring board 1 as described above can be manufactured as follows. [1] First, a stretchable sheet 2 to which a carrier sheet CS is attached is prepared, and a first reinforcing portion (reinforcing film) 6 is attached to this (see FIG. 3(a)). Note that FIG. 3(a) is upside down compared to the state in use. [2] Next, a through hole CS1 is formed in the carrier sheet CS, an opening 21 in the stretchable sheet 2, and a through hole 61 in the first reinforcing portion 6 are formed consecutively (see FIG. 3(a)). This can be easily formed, for example, by punching with a punch, drilling with a drill, laser processing, or the like. [3] Next, a stretchable conductive layer 3 having a predetermined pattern is formed on the upper surface of the first reinforcing portion 6 and the upper surface of the stretchable sheet 2 (the lower surface in use) (see FIG. 3(a)). This can be easily formed using the stretchable conductive material, for example, by a printing method. Examples of printing methods include screen printing, droplet ejection (inkjet) printing, gravure printing, roll coating printing, and knife coating printing.

[0031] [4] Next, the hook portion 5 is fixed to the upper surface of the adhesive layer 72 of the second reinforcing portion (reinforcing film) 7 (see FIG. 3(b)). [5] Next, the second reinforcing portion 7 with the hook portion 5 fixed thereto is attached to the stretchable conductive layer 3 (see FIG. 3(c)). At this time, the hook portion 5 is inserted through the through-hole 61 and the opening 21, and its upper end (tip) is positioned within the through-hole CS1. At this time, the flange portion 52 of the hook portion 5 is brought into contact with the stretchable conductive layer 3. Because the hook portion 5 is fixed to the adhesive layer 72 of the second reinforcing portion 7, it is possible to effectively prevent misalignment during the operation of this step [5]. [6] Next, if necessary, the adhesive body (laminate) is heated and pressurized. As described above, since the stretchable conductive layer 3 is made of a stretchable conductive material, the elastomer softens when heated and pressurized, thereby improving adhesion between the conductive filler and the hook portion 5. This improves the connection reliability between the stretchable conductive layer 3 and the hook portion 5 .

[0032] [7] Next, the bioadhesive layer 4 is attached to the underside of the adhesive body (see FIG. 3(d)). It is preferable to leave a release film attached to the underside of the bioadhesive layer 4 until use. This improves the handleability of the bioadhesive layer 4 during production and the handleability of the stretchable wiring board 1 after production. Thereafter, punching is performed to obtain the outer shape of the stretchable wiring board 1, and the carrier sheet CS is peeled off to complete the stretchable wiring board 1.

[0033] A device main body 10 is attached to this stretchable wiring board 1. The device main body 10 has a magnetic hook portion (connection terminal) 101 on its underside. The magnetic hook portion 101 has a recess 101a in its center. A ring-shaped permanent magnet (e.g., a ferrite magnet or a neodymium magnet) 101b is housed inside the magnetic hook portion 101. This device main body 10 is attached to the stretchable wiring board 1 by connecting the magnetic hook portion (connection terminal) 101 to the hook portion (external terminal) 5. Specifically, by inserting the tip of the columnar portion 51 of the male hook portion 5 into the recess 101a of the female magnetic hook portion 101, they come into physical contact to ensure electrical connection. Furthermore, the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 101b can also ensure mechanical connection between the magnetic hook portion 101 and the hook portion 5. Therefore, high connection reliability can be obtained between the stretchable wiring board 1 and the device main body 10.

[0034] Furthermore, with this configuration, when the magnetic hook portion (connection terminal having magnetic force) 101 is brought close to the hook portion (external terminal) 5 from the top surface (one surface), the hook portion 5 is attracted to the magnetic hook portion 101, and the flange portion 52 presses against the stretchable conductive layer 3. This further improves the electrical connection between the hook portion 5 and the stretchable conductive layer 3. The device main body 10 is configured to supply current to the stretchable conductive layer 3 when attached to the stretchable wiring board 1. Note that, although the present embodiment shows a case where the connection terminal is configured with a magnetic hook component, the connection terminal may also be configured with a spring hook component.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1 , two operation buttons 102 are provided on the surface of the device main body 10. These operation buttons 102 are capable of changing at least one of the amount of power supply or the supply pattern (mode). Note that changing the amount of power supply also includes turning the power supply (power supply) on and off. The device main body 10 also includes a power supply unit, a control unit, and an electrical circuit unit (all not shown). The control unit is electrically connected to the power supply unit, the electrical circuit unit, and the two operation buttons 102, and the electrical circuit unit is electrically connected to two magnetic hook units 101. The power supply unit is configured to supply power to the stretchable conductive layer 3. This power supply unit can be, for example, a dry cell battery, a solar cell, a fuel cell, a lithium-ion secondary battery, an all-solid-state battery, a lithium polymer battery, or the like. Note that the power supply unit may be a connector to which a power cable can be connected.

[0036] The control unit incorporates a processing element and a memory element. The processing element is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), etc. The processing element realizes various functions related to the current supply device 100 by reading out predetermined programs stored in the memory element. In other words, the processing element specifically realizes information processing by the software stored in the memory element. Note that the processing element is not limited to a single element, and multiple processing elements may be provided for each function. A combination of these may also be used.

[0037] The memory element stores various pieces of information as defined above. This can be implemented, for example, as a storage device such as a solid state drive (SSD) that stores various programs related to the current supply device 100 executed by the arithmetic element, or as a memory such as a random access memory (RAM) that stores temporarily required information (arguments, arrays, etc.) related to the program calculations. The memory element also stores various programs, variables, etc. related to the current supply device 100 executed by the arithmetic element.

[0038] The electric circuit unit is configured to include, for example, a drive circuit, an output waveform generating circuit, a transformer, a switching circuit, etc. The control unit is configured to control the power supplied from the power supply unit to the stretchable conductive layer 3 via the electric circuit unit. Here, controlling the power refers to setting at least one of the voltage value, current value, waveform, frequency, pulse width, current direction, and current flow time. In this embodiment, the current supplied by the device main body 10 under the control of the control unit can be a current that provides muscle stimulation, a current that warms the skin surface, etc. The type (mode) of current supplied by the device main body 10 can be changed by operating the operation button 102.

[0039] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the current supply device of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, the current supply device 100 of the second embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the current supply device 100 of the first embodiment described above, and a description of similar points will be omitted. The current supply device 100 of the second embodiment is similar to the current supply device 100 of the first embodiment described above, except that the configuration of the stretchable wiring board 1 is different. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the stretchable wiring board according to the second embodiment. In the following description, the upper side in Figure 4 will also be referred to as the "front" or "top", and the lower side will also be referred to as the "back" or "bottom".

[0040] The stretchable wiring board 1 of the second embodiment further includes a conductive connecting member 8 interposed between the flange portion 52 and the stretchable conductive layer 3 to electrically connect them. This configuration further improves the mechanical and electrical connection between the hook portion 5 and the stretchable conductive layer 3. The conductive connecting member 8 may be a metal foil, but is preferably a conductive double-sided tape. Using a conductive double-sided tape ensures a reliable connection between the hook portion 5 and the stretchable conductive layer 3 with a simple configuration. The conductive double-sided tape can be an adhesive tape in which conductive particles containing silver, gold, nickel, or the like are dispersed. In this case, the conductive connecting member 8 can be attached to a predetermined position on the stretchable conductive layer 3 prior to the step of FIG. 3( b). In the stretchable wiring boards 1 of the first and second embodiments, the first reinforcing portion (reinforcing film) 6 may be provided on the upper surface of the stretchable sheet 2. Furthermore, the second reinforcing portion (reinforcing film) 7 may be composed of only the film substrate 71, omitting the adhesive layer 72. In this case, in the manufacturing process of the stretchable wiring board 1, when the adhesive body (laminate) is heated and pressurized, for example, the first reinforcing portion (reinforcing film) 6 and the film substrate 71 may be joined by fusion bonding.

[0041] Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the current supply device of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, the current supply device 100′ of the third embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the current supply devices 100 of the first and second embodiments, and a description of similar points will be omitted. The current supply device 100′ of the third embodiment is similar to the current supply devices 100 of the first and second embodiments, except that the configuration of the attachment section between the stretchable wiring board 1 and the device main body 10 is different. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an exploded state of the current supply device according to the third embodiment ((a) is a plan view of the stretchable wiring board, and (b) is a bottom view of the device main body). FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 5. In the following description, the front side of the paper in Fig. 5(a) will also be referred to as "front" or "top," and the back side of the paper will also be referred to as "back" or "bottom." The back side of the paper in Fig. 5(b) will also be referred to as "front" or "top," and the front side of the paper will also be referred to as "back" or "bottom." Furthermore, the top side of Fig. 6 will also be referred to as "front" or "top," and the bottom side will also be referred to as "back" or "bottom."

[0042] As shown in FIG. 5( b), the device main body 10′ includes a columnar portion 101′ as a connection terminal. As shown in FIGS. 5( a) and 6, the stretchable wiring board 1′ includes a columnar magnet portion 5′ including a magnetized hard magnetic material as an external terminal. The first reinforcing portion 6′ is a block-shaped reinforcing block. The first reinforcing portion (reinforcing block) 6′ has a through portion 61′ that penetrates through its thickness and exposes the magnet portion (external terminal) 5′. The through portion 61′ and the magnet portion 5′ form a recess, and the columnar portion 101′ is configured to be inserted into this recess. Meanwhile, the second reinforcing portion 7′ is also a film-shaped reinforcing film. This second reinforcing portion (reinforcing film) 7′ includes a film substrate 71′ and a conductive adhesive layer 72′ that is supported by the film substrate 71′ and contacts the magnet portion (external terminal) 5′. The film substrate 71′ can have a configuration similar to that of the film substrate 71. The adhesive layer 72 ′ can be formed by dispersing conductive particles (conductive filler) in the adhesive layer 72 .

[0043] In this embodiment, the magnet portion (external terminal) 5' is electrically connected to the stretchable conductive layer 3 via an adhesive layer 72'. The first reinforcing portion (reinforcing block) 6' is bonded to the second reinforcing member (reinforcing film) 7' via a non-conductive adhesive layer 9. This adhesive layer 9 can have the same configuration as the adhesive layer 72. The current supply device 100' of this third embodiment also produces the same actions and effects as the current supply devices 100 of the first and second embodiments.

[0044] In this embodiment, the stretchable wiring board 1' is provided with a magnet portion 5' as an external terminal. Therefore, the columnar portion 101', which is a connection terminal of the device main body 10', may or may not have magnetism. Furthermore, if the columnar portion 101' is configured to have magnetism, the external terminal of the stretchable wiring board 1' may be configured with a soft magnetic material that does not have magnetism. Furthermore, the position of the underside of the first reinforcing portion (reinforcing block) 6' is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 6 , but may be located above the stretchable sheet 2 or at any position within the thickness range of the stretchable sheet 2 and the stretchable conductive layer 3. Regardless of the position, the magnet portion (external terminal) 5' can be stably held between the first reinforcing portion (reinforcing block) 6' and the second reinforcing portion (reinforcing film) 7'.

[0045] <Fourth embodiment> Next, a fourth embodiment of the current supply device of the present invention will be described. Below, the current supply device 100' of the fourth embodiment will be described, focusing on the differences from the current supply device 100' of the third embodiment described above, and a description of similar points will be omitted. The current supply device 100' of the fourth embodiment is similar to the current supply device 100' of the third embodiment described above, except that the configuration of the stretchable wiring board 1' is different. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the stretchable wiring board according to the fourth embodiment. In the following description, the upper side in Figure 7 will also be referred to as the "front" or "top", and the lower side will also be referred to as the "back" or "bottom".

[0046] A larger portion of the lower side of the first reinforcing portion (reinforcing block) 6' in the fourth embodiment is located within the opening 21 of the stretchable sheet 2 than the first reinforcing portion (reinforcing block) 6' in the third embodiment. This allows the stretchable wiring board 1' to be made thinner. Furthermore, the conductive adhesive layer 72' is bonded to the first reinforcing portion 6' or the stretchable conductive layer 3 via the adhesive layer 9. Furthermore, the adhesive layer 72' is in contact with the magnet portion 5' and also in contact with the stretchable conductive layer 3 at a location not shown. In this configuration, the magnet portion 5' is electrically connected to the stretchable conductive layer 3 via the adhesive layer 72'.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the adhesive layer 72' is conductive, a large space 11' is formed in the center of the stretchable wiring board 1', preventing the left and right adhesive layers 72' from coming into contact and becoming conductive. In this configuration, the adhesive layer 9 may be omitted, and the conductive adhesive layer 72' may be bonded to the first reinforcing portion 6', and in that case, the configuration in which the left and right adhesive layers are separated is maintained. Furthermore, it may be provided in each of the following aspects.

[0048] (1) A stretchable wiring board comprising a stretchable sheet, a stretchable conductive layer, an external terminal, a first reinforcing part, and a second reinforcing part, wherein the stretchable sheet has an opening penetrating through it in the thickness direction, the stretchable conductive layer is supported by the stretchable sheet, the external terminal is electrically connected to the stretchable conductive layer and is inserted into the opening, at least a portion of the first reinforcing part is arranged on one side of the stretchable conductive layer, and at least a portion of the second reinforcing part is arranged on the other side of the stretchable conductive layer, and the external terminal is held therebetween and the stretchable wiring board is configured to reinforce at least the periphery of the external terminal of the stretchable conductive layer.

[0049] (2) In the stretchable wiring board described in (1) above, the first reinforcing portion is a film-shaped reinforcing film.

[0050] (3) In the stretchable wiring board described in (2) above, at least a portion of the reinforcing film is located between the stretchable sheet and the stretchable conductive layer.

[0051] (4) In the stretchable wiring board described in (2) or (3) above, the external terminal has a columnar portion inserted into the opening and a flange portion protruding laterally from the columnar portion, and the reinforcing film has a through portion penetrating through the thickness direction thereof, and overlaps with at least a part of the flange portion when the columnar portion is inserted through the through portion. Stretchable wiring board.

[0052] (5) In the stretchable wiring board described in (4) above, a part of the stretchable conductive layer is located between the flange portion and the stretchable sheet.

[0053] (6) In the stretchable wiring board according to (5) above, the stretchable conductive layer is electrically connected to the external terminal by being in direct contact with the flange portion.

[0054] (7) The stretchable wiring board according to (5) or (6) above, further comprising a conductive connecting member interposed between the flange portion and the stretchable conductive layer to electrically connect them. A stretchable wiring board.

[0055] (8) In the stretchable wiring board according to any one of (5) to (7) above, the external terminal includes a soft magnetic material or a magnetized hard magnetic material, and when a connection terminal having magnetic force is brought close to the external terminal from the one surface side, the external terminal is attracted to the connection terminal, and the flange portion is configured to press the stretchable conductive layer. A stretchable wiring board.

[0056] (9) In the stretchable wiring board described in (1) above, the external terminals include a soft magnetic material or a magnetized hard magnetic material, the first reinforcing portion is a block-shaped reinforcing block, and the reinforcing block has a through portion that penetrates in its thickness direction and exposes the external terminals. A stretchable wiring board.

[0057] (10) In the stretchable wiring board described in (9) above, the second reinforcing portion is a film-shaped reinforcing film, and the reinforcing film is a film substrate and a conductive adhesive layer supported by the film substrate and in contact with the external terminal. The stretchable wiring board.

[0058] (11) In the stretchable wiring board according to (10) above, the external terminals are electrically connected to the stretchable conductive layer via the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.

[0059] (12) In the stretchable wiring board according to any one of (1) to (11) above, the second reinforcing portion is a film-shaped reinforcing film, and the reinforcing film is a film base material and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer supported by the film base material and in contact with the external terminal. The stretchable wiring board.

[0060] (13) In the stretchable wiring board according to any one of (1) to (12) above, the external terminal is configured as a single component.

[0061] (14) The stretchable wiring board according to any one of (1) to (13) above, further comprising a bioadhesive layer provided on the other surface side and attached to the skin surface of a user. The stretchable wiring board.

[0062] (15) In the stretchable wiring board according to (14) above, the bioadhesive layer is in a gel state.

[0063] (16) A device for supplying electric current to a living organism, comprising the stretchable wiring board according to any one of (1) to (15) above and a device main body, wherein the stretchable wiring board is configured to use the stretchable conductive layer as the skin-facing side of a user, and the device main body has a connection terminal, and is attached to the stretchable wiring board by connecting the connection terminal to the external terminal, and is configured to supply electric current to the stretchable conductive layer. Of course, this is not limited to this.

[0064] As described above, various embodiments of the present invention have been described, but these are presented as examples and do not limit the scope of the invention in any way. The novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Such embodiments and their modifications are intended to be included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the inventions and their equivalents as set forth in the claims.

[0065] 100: current supply device, 100': current supply device, 1: stretchable wiring board, 1': stretchable wiring board, 11': large space, 2: stretchable sheet, 21: opening, 3: stretchable conductive layer, 4: bioadhesive layer, 5: hook portion, 51: column portion, 52: flange portion, 5': magnet portion, 6: first reinforcing portion, 61: through portion, 6': first reinforcing portion, 61': through portion, 7: second reinforcing portion, 71: film substrate, 72: adhesive layer, 7': second reinforcing portion, 71': film substrate, 72': adhesive layer, 8: conductive connecting member, 9: adhesive layer, 10: device main body, 10': device main body, 101: magnetic hook portion, 101': column portion, 101a: recess, 101b: permanent magnet, 102: operation button, CS: carrier sheet, CS1: through portion

Claims

1. A stretchable wiring board comprising: a stretchable sheet, a stretchable conductive layer, an external terminal, a first reinforcing portion, and a second reinforcing portion, the stretchable sheet having an opening penetrating in its thickness direction, the stretchable conductive layer being supported by the stretchable sheet, the external terminal being electrically connected to the stretchable conductive layer and being inserted into the opening, at least a portion of the first reinforcing portion being arranged on one side of the stretchable conductive layer, and at least a portion of the second reinforcing portion being arranged on the other side of the stretchable conductive layer, the first reinforcing portion being arranged between the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion being arranged on the other side of the stretchable conductive layer, the first reinforcing portion being arranged between the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion being arranged to hold the external terminal therebetween and to reinforce at least the periphery of the external terminal of the stretchable conductive layer.

2. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 1, wherein the first reinforcing portion is a film-like reinforcing film.

3. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the reinforcing film is located between the stretchable sheet and the stretchable conductive layer.

4. A stretchable wiring board according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the external terminal has a columnar portion inserted into the opening and a flange portion protruding laterally from the columnar portion, and the reinforcing film has a through-portion penetrating through its thickness direction, and overlaps at least a portion of the flange portion when the columnar portion is inserted through the through-portion.

5. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the stretchable conductive layer is located between the flange portion and the stretchable sheet.

6. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 5, wherein the stretchable conductive layer is electrically connected to the external terminal by being in direct contact with the flange portion.

7. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising a conductive connecting member interposed between the flange portion and the stretchable conductive layer to electrically connect them.

8. A stretchable wiring board according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the external terminal comprises a soft magnetic material or a magnetized hard magnetic material, and when a connecting terminal having magnetic force is brought close to the external terminal from the one surface side, the external terminal is attracted to the connecting terminal, and the flange portion presses against the stretchable conductive layer.

9. A stretchable wiring board as described in claim 1, wherein the external terminal comprises a soft magnetic material or a magnetized hard magnetic material, the first reinforcing portion is a block-shaped reinforcing block, and the reinforcing block has a through portion that penetrates in its thickness direction and exposes the external terminal.

10. A stretchable wiring board according to claim 9, wherein the second reinforcing portion is a film-like reinforcing film, and the reinforcing film comprises a film substrate and a conductive adhesive layer supported by the film substrate and in contact with the external terminal.

11. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 10, wherein the external terminal is electrically connected to the stretchable conductive layer via the adhesive layer.

12. A stretchable wiring board according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the second reinforcing portion is a film-like reinforcing film, and the reinforcing film comprises a film substrate and an adhesive layer supported by the film substrate and in contact with the external terminal.

13. The stretchable wiring board according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the external terminal is configured as a single component.

14. The stretchable wiring board according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a bioadhesive layer provided on the other surface side and attached to the skin surface of a user.

15. The stretchable wiring board according to claim 14, wherein the bioadhesive layer is in a gel state.

16. A current supply device for supplying electric current to a living organism, comprising: an elastic wiring board according to any one of claims 1 to 15; and a device main body, wherein the elastic wiring board is configured to use the elastic conductive layer as the side facing the skin of a user; and the device main body has a connection terminal, and is attached to the elastic wiring board by connecting the connection terminal to the external terminal, and is configured to supply electric current to the elastic conductive layer.

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