Layered Carrier Structure for Contactless Conductor Coupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for manufacturing objects with electronic units on flexible substrates are inefficient and costly due to the need for soldering or conductive adhesives, which slow down the manufacturing process and increase material costs, especially when only a few connections are required on large-area films.

Innovation Solution

The support structure is designed as a stack of layers, with electronic units on one layer and conductor structures on another, allowing for galvanic isolation and capacitive or inductive coupling without soldering or conductive adhesives, enabling higher throughput and reduced material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If soldering or conductive adhesives are used to connect electronic units to flexible substrates, then reliable electrical connections are achieved, but manufacturing process time increases and material costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing throughput
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the connection function from the electronic unit itself and relocates it to the flexible substrate. By integrating conductor structures directly into the substrate layers, the need for separate soldering or adhesive application processes is eliminated, thereby improving throughput while maintaining connection reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The conductor structures are pre-integrated into the flexible substrate during substrate manufacturing, before the electronic units are assembled. This preliminary integration of conductive pathways eliminates the need for post-assembly connection processes, thereby increasing manufacturing productivity without compromising connection reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If soldering or conductive adhesives are used to connect electronic units to flexible substrates, then reliable electrical connections are achieved, but material costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidmaterial cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the need for separate solder or conductive adhesive materials by integrating conductor structures directly into the flexible substrate layers. This eliminates additional material costs while maintaining reliable electrical connections through the embedded conductive pathways

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible substrate serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support, contains integrated conductor structures for electrical connections, and enables flexibility. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate connection materials, reducing material costs while maintaining connection reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Area of stationary object

If large-area films are used with few connections, then flexibility and coverage are improved, but manufacturing efficiency decreases due to slower connection processes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesubstrate areaVSAvoidmanufacturing throughput
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the flexible substrate into multiple layers, with conductor structures integrated into different layers. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple connection points across different layers, thereby improving manufacturing throughput while maintaining large substrate area and flexibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from planar connections on a single layer to three-dimensional multi-layer connections. By stacking conductor structures across multiple layers, the system achieves high-density interconnections on large-area flexible substrates without increasing process time, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

This approach reduces manufacturing costs and effort by allowing simultaneous production of multiple units on smaller layers, while maintaining electrical functionality through capacitive or inductive coupling, thus enhancing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Implementation Method 1

the first conductor structure and the second conductor structure are capacitively or inductively coupled to one another

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitive coupling: Capacitance

Implementation Method 2

the first conductor structure and the second conductor structure are capacitively or inductively coupled to one another

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInductive coupling: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3338519B1Object having an electronic unit and conductor structures on a carrier structure
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 SCHREINER GRP GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3338519B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3338519B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3338519B1 patent drawingFigure 6~10

AI summary

The invention relates to an object (100) which comprises at least a first conductor structure (1), at least one electronic unit (5), at least a second conductor structure (2), which is galvanically isolated from the first conductor structure (1) and/or from the electronic unit (5), but can be electrically coupled thereto, and a carrier structure (15) having at least a first carrier layer (10), a first carrier layer region (11) of the first carrier layer (10) and a second carrier layer region (21). The carrier structure (15) is designed as a layer stack (16) in a base surface region (G) which comprises at least a part of the base surface of the carrier structure (15). The layer stack (16) comprises at least the first carrier layer region (11) of the first carrier layer (10) and the second carrier layer region (21). Furthermore, at least a part of the first (1) and the second conductor structure (2) is arranged in the base surface region (G). The first conductor structure (1) and/or the electronic unit (5) is soldered or bonded to the first carrier layer region (11) or is otherwise connected to the first carrier layer region (11), whereas the second conductor structure (2) is soldered or bonded to the second carrier layer region (12; 21) or otherwise connected to the second carrier layer region (21).