Dimensionally-Stable Flexible Substrate for LED Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible, electrically-conductive substrates used in electronic devices often experience dimensional distortion due to materials like silicone encapsulants, which can lead to performance issues and unsuitability for applications with strict dimensional specifications.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating stabilizing components such as rigid materials like liquid crystal polymers, metal plates, or metal oxides within the substrate to counteract distorting forces and maintain dimensional stability, or using encapsulants like silicone epoxy with affixed rigid structures above the substrate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If silicone encapsulant is used to encapsulate LED chip, then reliability and integrity of the unit are improved, but substrate dimensional stability deteriorates due to adhesion and shrinkage distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate is divided into multiple layers including a flexible substrate layer, a rigid support layer, and an encapsulant layer. This segmentation allows the rigid support layer to counteract the distorting forces from the encapsulant shrinkage, maintaining substrate dimensional stability while preserving the reliability benefits of encapsulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate structure combines flexible substrate material with rigid support material to create a composite structure. This composite material approach allows the substrate to maintain flexibility for electrical conductivity while the rigid component provides dimensional stability against encapsulant-induced distortion.
2Shape
If rigid material is affixed to substrate to counteract distorting forces, then substrate dimensional stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid support layer is merged with the flexible substrate to form an integrated substrate assembly. This combining approach provides dimensional stability while avoiding the complexity of separate rigid components, as the rigid and flexible layers work together as a unified structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid support layer serves multiple functions: it provides dimensional stability, supports the encapsulant, and maintains the structural integrity of the entire device. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
3Shape
If filler material is placed within substrate to increase rigidity, then substrate dimensional stability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filler material is strategically placed within specific regions of the substrate where dimensional stability is most needed. This localized approach provides rigidity enhancement while minimizing the impact on overall manufacturing precision requirements, as the filler is concentrated in critical areas rather than distributed uniformly.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a dimensionally-stable electronic device such as an LED on flexible printed-circuit-board. The device comprises an electrically-conductive flexible substrate and at least one stabilizing component for dimensionally stabilizing the substrate.