Flexible Interconnect Circuits Comprising Spring Contacts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical harnesses used in vehicles and machinery are bulky, heavy, and expensive due to the need for multiple wires with large cross-sectional areas to manage electrical power and control signals effectively, while also dealing with resistive heating and thermal dissipation challenges.
Innovation Solution
The development of flexible interconnect circuits featuring spring contacts, which comprise a base portion and a spring portion monolithic with the base, allowing for mechanical and electrical connection to conductive traces, enhancing flexibility and reducing bulk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional wires with large cross-sectional areas are used to transmit electrical power and control signals, then electrical power transmission and thermal dissipation are improved, but the harness becomes bulky, heavy, and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional round wires with flat flexible interconnect circuits having thin profiles. The conductive traces are formed by patterning metal foils or sheets, creating thin-film conductors that maintain electrical functionality while dramatically reducing weight and bulk. The flexible circuit board structure allows these thin conductors to replace heavy wire harnesses in automotive and aerospace applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction combining metal foils or sheets with insulating materials to create flexible interconnect circuits. The conductive traces are formed on flexible substrates, creating a composite structure that provides both electrical conductivity and mechanical flexibility, enabling lightweight alternatives to traditional wire harnesses while maintaining power transmission capability.
2Power
If conventional wires with large cross-sectional areas are used to transmit electrical power and control signals, then electrical power transmission and thermal dissipation are improved, but the harness becomes bulky and expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional round wires with flat flexible interconnect circuits having thin profiles. The conductive traces are formed by patterning metal foils or sheets, creating thin-film conductors that maintain electrical functionality while dramatically reducing weight and bulk. The flexible circuit board structure allows these thin conductors to replace heavy wire harnesses in automotive and aerospace applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the conductors from thick round wires to thin flat traces. By altering the cross-sectional geometry from circular to rectangular with reduced thickness, the patent achieves comparable electrical performance with reduced material usage and manufacturing complexity, lowering production costs while maintaining power transmission capability.
3Weight of moving object
If flat conductive traces are used in flexible interconnect circuits, then weight and bulk are reduced, but forming electrical connections to these traces becomes challenging due to their unique width-to-thickness ratios
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs spring contacts with elastic elements that can dynamically adapt to the flat conductive traces. The spring mechanism provides variable contact pressure, allowing reliable electrical connection to be formed on the thin, flat trace surfaces. This dynamic contact system compensates for the geometric challenges of connecting to flat traces, ensuring stable electrical connections despite the unusual width-to-thickness ratio of the conductors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces spring contacts as an intermediary element between the flat conductive traces and the external connection points. The spring contact acts as a mediator that bridges the geometric mismatch between thin flat traces and traditional connection interfaces, providing both mechanical support and electrical conductivity while accommodating the unique geometry of the flat trace conductors.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The flexible interconnect circuits with spring contacts provide a thinner, lighter, and more cost-effective solution for electrical connections, enabling efficient power transmission and signal delivery while minimizing thermal issues and mechanical bulk.
Implementation Method 1
The spring portion is configured to flex relative to the base portion at least in a direction substantially perpendicular to the trace-contact interface
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are flexible interconnect circuits comprising spring contacts, methods of fabricating such circuits, as well as methods of using such circuits to form electrical connections to various components. A flexible interconnect circuit comprises two insulators and one or more conductive traces, at least partially protruding between the insulators. The circuit also comprises one or more spring contacts, each comprising a base portion and a spring portion, which is monolithic with the base portion. The base portion directly interfaces, is mechanically attached, and is electrically connected to one of the protruding portions of the conductive traces forming a trace-contact interface. The spring portion is configured to flex relative to the base portion at least in a direction substantially perpendicular to the trace-contact interface. In some examples, multiple spring contacts are attached to the same protruding portion and are offset along the width of this portion.