Connection Panel for Electronic Components

Abstract

In a connection panel for electronic components comprising a plurality of insulating layers and conductive layers and further comprising an electronic sensor, the sensor is comprised of at least one flexure member formed by a flexure layer, the flexure member protruding from the flexure layer and into a clearance within the flexure layer and carrying at least a part of a flexure sensing device.

Claims

1. Connection panel for electronic components comprising a plurality of insulating layers and conductive layers and further comprising an electronic sensor, wherein the sensor is comprised of at least one flexure member formed by a flexure layer, the flexure member protruding from the flexure layer and into a clearance within the flexure layer and carrying at least a part of a flexure sensing device.

2. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 1, wherein the flexure member is suspended in the clearance by at least one supporting arm.

3. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 2, wherein the flexure member is suspended in the clearance by a plurality of supporting arms, preferably by two supporting arms, more preferably by three supporting arms and most preferably by four supporting arms.

4. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 3, wherein the at least one supporting arm is deflected.

5. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 4, wherein the flexure sensing device is formed by at least one piezo-element arranged on the at least one supporting arm.

6. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 5, wherein the flexure sensing device is formed by at least one piezo-element arranged on each of the supporting arms.

7. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 6, wherein the piezo-element is formed by a layer of a piezo-material contacted by wirings.

8. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 5, wherein the piezo-material is comprised of a material chosen from the group comprising piezoactive polymers and rubbers, in particular ferroelectric polymers, ferro-relaxor polymers, piezoactive glasses, ceramics, zinc oxide ZnO and aluminium nitride AlN.

9. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 4, wherein the flexure sensing device is formed by a plurality of resistors individually arranged on the at least one supporting arm, preferably being part of a Wheatstone-bridge.

10. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 1, the at least a part of the sensing device is formed by an electromagnetic coil and a magnet, one of which being arranged on the flexure member and the other being arranged on the flexure layer at least in an area of the flexure layer surrounding the flexure member to form an electrodynamic sensor.

11. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 1, wherein the flexure layer is covered by at least one cover layer at least in the area of the flexure member.

12. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 11, further comprising a cavity disposed between the flexure member and the at least one cover layer.

13. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 12, wherein the cavity is formed by a clearance within an insulating layer arranged between the flexure layer and the cover layer.

14. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 12, wherein the flexure sensing device is formed by at least one capacitor having its electrodes on the flexure member and the cover layer.

15. Connection panel for electronic components according to claim 1, wherein the connection panel for electronic components comprises at least one embedded component.

Description

[0028] In the following the invention will be described in more detail by way of an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing. In the drawing

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the inventive connection panel for electronic components without a cover layer,

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the inventive connection panel for electronic components having a cover layer,

[0031] FIG. 3 shows four plan views of flexure members in accordance with the present invention, and

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a variety of flexure members in accordance with the present invention having different arrangements of supporting arms.

[0033] In FIG. 1 the inventive connection panel for electronic components is denoted by reference numeral 1. The connection panel for electronic components 1 can be printed circuit board or IC-substrate or the like. The connection panel for electronic components 1 has a flexure layer 2, for example formed of FR4-prepreg material. The flexure layer 2 has a clearance 3 to form a sensor 4 comprised of a flexure member 4 which protrudes from the flexure layer 2 into the clearance 3 within the flexure layer 2. The flexure member 4 is comprised of a main part 4 and supporting arms 5 which allow for a comparatively high flexibility of the flexure member 4 as compared to the remainder of the flexure layer 2, so that the flexure member 4 can flex and/or vibrate rather freely within the clearance 3 of the flexure layer 2. The flexure member 4 carries at least a part of a flexure sensing device 6, in this case the flexure member 4 carries four piezo-elements 6 which piezo-elements form the entire flexure sensing devices 6 on the supporting arms 5. As previously described, the flexure sensing devices 6 can also be comprised of resistors, which in an alternative embodiment would be arranged on the supporting arms 5 instead of the piezo-elements 6. In this embodiment, the flexure member 4 furthermore carries a weight member 7 which can be simple metal plate or other plate of relatively high density or it can be a receptor adapted to bind to a chemical and/or biological substance thereby altering its weight and thus altering the flexing and/or vibrating properties of the flexure member 4. The piezo-elements 6 are formed of a layer of piezo-paste and appropriate wirings 16.

[0034] In the sectional view of FIG. 2 the flexure member 4 carries electrodes 6 which form capacitors with corresponding electrodes 6 on a cover layer 8 which is spaced from the flexure layer 2 by an insulating layer 9 having a cavity 10 to allow for free flexing and/or vibrating of the flexure member 4. In FIG. 2, a flexed position of the flexure member 4 is drawn in dashed lines and it is apparent that the distance d between corresponding electrodes 6 in the flexed position of the flexure member 4 is altered to a different distance d which of course results in a different capacitance of the capacitor formed by the corresponding electrodes 6 which in turn can be interpreted as flexing and/or vibrating of the flexure member 4 thus giving information on acceleration and/or pressure exerted on the connection panel for electronic components of the present invention. Also in FIG. 2 it can be seen that the inventive connection panel for electronic components 1 comprises a plurality of insulating layers 8, 9, 2, 11 and 12 as well as a plurality of conductive layers 13, 14 and 15.

[0035] In FIG. 3 it is shown that the flexure member 4 can be suspended within the clearance 3 within the flexure layer 2 on one supporting arm 5 only. However, configurations with two, three, four and of course even more supporting arms 5 for the flexure member 4 are conceivable without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4a.) the supporting arm 5 or the supporting arms 5 can be deflected and also here configurations with one, two or three or even more supporting arms 5 are thinkable. In FIG. 4b.) it is shown that the supporting arm 5 can also protrude from corners of the clearance 3 within the flexure layer 2 of the inventive connection panel for electronic components 1.