Multek Technologies Limited

Flex Ltd.

Flextronics Ap, LLC

Michael James Glickman

Mark A Bergman

Joan K Vrtis

Shurui Shang

Mudhafar Hassan-Ali

Todd C Robinson

Yolita C Nugent

Brendan Nagle

Shane Bravard

Jennet Ellen Johnson

Nicholas LeClerc

Hollese Galyon

A seam jump connector provides connectivity over an irregular area, such as seam, in a textile. The textile is part of a textile base structure that includes one or more electrically conductive interconnects formed either directly on the textile or on intermediate substrates that are attached to the textile. The intermediate substrates can be TPU sheets having conductive interconnects printed on a surface. The conductive interconnects of the textile base structure are discontinuous at an irregular area on the textile, and the seam jump connector includes a flexible and/or stretchable substrate with conductive interconnects. The seam jump connector is aligned with and stacked onto the conductive interconnects so as to provide electrical connectivity across the irregular area. The seam jump connectors can be configured to be permanently or removably attached to the textile base structure.

Electronic conductive interconnection for bridging across irregular areas in a textile product

A stretchable flexible pressure sensor includes stretchable conductive interconnects, or electrodes, sandwiching an elastic substrate that is stretchable in one or more directions. The interconnects are positioned on opposing surfaces of the elastic substrate and overlap at select sensing areas. The elastic substrate at each sensing area is replaced with a foam or air gap to enable movement of a top stretchable conductive interconnect, a bottom stretchable conductive interconnect or both toward each other in response to an applied force. The stretchable conductive interconnects are each patterned having a meandering shape and are aligned with each other. The meandering shape provides slack such that as the elastic substrate is stretched the slack is taken up.

Stretchable flexible durable pressure sensor

A measurement system measures various PCB panel characteristics, such as PCB panel thickness, surface feature thickness (height), surface feature width and length, and warpage. Various techniques are also described for steadying the PCB panel for measurement, whether the PCB panel is positioned horizontally or vertically. Z-height measurements as well as light intensity measurements can be used to determine the various PCB panel characteristics. Either the determined light intensity values, the determined Z-height values, or both can be used to determine pixel transition from one region, or material type, to another. Techniques are also provided to reduce PCB panel vibration and/or automatically adjusting a Z-height of the sensor to ensure a sampling point on the PCB panel is within an allowable Z-height range.

Inline metrology on air flotation for PCB applications

A 3D printing system includes a 3D printer configured to receive as input a coated or un-coated optical fiber, to coat the optical fiber in the case of an input un-coated optical fiber, to treat an outer coating of the coated optical fiber, and to precisely output the coated optical fiber onto a specific location on a substrate such that the coated optical fiber is securely attached to the substrate via the treated outer coating. The 3D printer has a nozzle head that includes treating element for treating, such as heating or curing, the outer coating of the coated optical fiber. The 3D printer also includes a movement mechanism, such as an XYZ gantry, coupled to the nozzle head such that the nozzle head can be precisely moved relative to the substrate for well controlled placement of the treated coated optical fiber on the substrate.

3D printed fiber optics

A micro-pad array to conductive wire flexible attachment assembly includes a micro-pad geometry formed on a flexible printed circuit and a method for connecting a conductive wire, thread or fiber to the micro-pad geometry.

Micro-pad array to thread flexible attachment

A mechanical strain reduction system include a flexible circuit section of a printed circuit board configured with a meandering shape while in a static state, and a compressible material having a cavity such that the meandering flexible circuit section is positioned within the cavity while the flexible circuit section is in the static state. The flexible circuit section can be part of a rigid-flexible printed circuit board or a flexible printed circuit board. The cavity can be shaped with the same meandering shape as the flexible circuit section in the static state. In general, the cavity is sufficiently shaped to allow positioning of the meandering flexible circuit section within the cavity. Support structures of the same, or different, compressible material can be interspersed within the meander of the flexible circuit section.

Mechanical strain reduction on flexible and rigid-flexible circuits

The luggage lighting system includes a piece of luggage and a lighting module coupled to the luggage. In some embodiments, the lighting module is a fiber-optic lighting module. The luggage includes an outer surface, and the lighting module includes a light diffuser coupled to the outer surface. In some embodiments, the light diffuser is a fiber-optic light diffuser. The lighting module also includes a light source, such as a laser or a light emitting diode (LED). When the light source is powered on, the output light is directed through the light diffuser. The light diffuser is configured to output single or multiple colors of light, easily observed by someone looking at the luggage. The luggage lighting system is particularly useful for identifying one's luggage from surrounding pieces of luggage lacking the luggage lighting system.

Diffuse fiber optic lighting for luggage

A hybrid PCB system has a hybrid redistribution layer that redistributes a large pad-to-pad pitch to a smaller, finer pad-to-pad pitch and applies hybrid materials to balance the thermal-mechanical stress. The hybrid PCB system combines wafer level packaging, IC substrate and high density PCB technologies within a single hybrid PCB. The hybrid PCB system addresses the opportunity for interconnect reliability, design and assembly of a electronic components with pad pitches less than 400 microns directly to a PCB without need of an IC substrate or interposer.

PCB hybrid redistribution layer

A process of constructing a filled via of a printed circuit board comprises drilling a via hole through a body of the printed circuit board, desmearing a barrel of the via hole, metallizing a outer surface of the via barrel, electroplating the via barrel, pushing nano-copper solder into the via hole and heating the circuit board in order to melt the nano-copper solder within the via hole. The nano-copper solder improves the thermal conductivity of the printed circuit board for applications when heat needs to be conducted from one side of the printed circuit board to another.

Nano-copper via fill for enhanced thermal conductivity of plated through-hole via

In order to limit the stress and strain applied to a printed circuit board while still maintaining flexibility, a flexible section of the printed circuit board is configured to have a non-linear portion that functions as a hinge when the flexible section is bent, flexed, twisted or otherwise subjected to a motion related force. The hinge configuration improves durability and flexibility while minimizing ripping and cracking of the printed circuit board, particularly interconnects within the flexible section and a transition region between the flexible section and a rigid section of the printed circuit board. The hinge is configured to have a non-linear shape, such as a serpentine or circuitous path that can include curved portions, different linear portions or some combination of curved and linear portions.

Flexible printed circuit board hinge

A stress and/or strain indicator comprises a wearable body, one or more flexible sections, one or more rigid sections and one or more strain gauges. The one or more strain gauges detect a level of stress and/or strain applied to the wearable body in order to indicate when the product is in danger of failing. A warning is activated based upon the level of stress and/or strain applied to the wearable body. For example, the stress and/or strain indicator is able to display a visual and/or an audible warning that a high level of stress and/or strain has been applied to the wearable body and the product is in danger of failing. In some embodiments, the stress and/or strain incident is recorded and downloadable. Consequently, a user is better informed as to when the electronic product is in danger of failing because of damage or misuse.

Wearable electronic stress and strain indicator

A method of and device for forming vias on an electronic board (such as a PCB board) comprises forming one or more holes on the electronic board, placing a nanomaterial inside the one or more holes, and forming one or more filled holes on the electronic board. The nanomaterial can be nanocopper, which can be either push/pull into the holes on the electronic board or a combination of push and pull. The push/pull can be performed by using a mechanical device or by a person. A capping layer can be on both side of the via. The vias formed by using the nanomaterials provides a high efficient vertical heat transferring path from one side of the electronic board to the other side of the electronic board.

Nano-copper solder for filling thermal vias

In order to limit the stress and strain applied to a printed circuit board while still maintaining flexibility, multiple small rigid mesas are formed on a flexible printed circuit, where the rigid mesas are physically isolated by trenches formed around their perimeters. Individual electronic components are attached to the multiple rigid mesas. These trenches form openings at which the printed circuit board is enabled to flex, bend or twist, thereby minimizing, if not eliminating, resulting stress applied to the interconnection between the electronic components and the rigid mesas.

Stress relief for rigid components on flexible circuits

A circuit board comprises one or more rigid sections, one or more flexible sections, and one or more transition areas where the circuit board transitions from the rigid section to the flexible section. One or more mechanically restrictive components are applied at a transition area to prevent failure and/or breakage of the circuit as it is bent and flexed. The mechanically restrictive components can be dispersed throughout the circuit as a coverlay, an underlay, and symmetrically positioned within the circuit board as an overlay and an underlay.

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Michael James Glickman