Flexible Electronic Device and Method of Manufacture
A flexible electronic device and method of manufacture are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a flexible electronic device includes a front; a back; and a plurality of layers disposed between the front and the back. A plurality of components, including processor, a memory, a display, a display driver, a battery, and a data interface, may be disposed on the layers. The flexible electronic device may also include a plurality of flex points so that the flexible electronic device can be flexed relative to each flex point. According to another embodiment of the invention, the method of manufacturing a flexible electronic device by lamination includes (1) providing a first source of front layers for the flexible electronic device; (2) providing a second source of back layers for the flexible electronic device; (3) providing a source for each interior layer of the flexible electronic device, at least one interior layer having at least one flexible electronic component disposed thereon; (4) pressing the front, interior, and back layers together, resulting in a laminate; and (5) curing the laminate.
1 . A flexible electronic device, comprising:
a front;
a back;
a plurality of layers disposed between the front and the back;
a plurality of components disposed on the layers, the components including at least a processor, a memory, a display, a display driver, a battery, and a data interface; and
a plurality of flex points, wherein the flexible electronic device can be flexed relative to each flex point.
2 . The flexible electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of components is an inflexible component.
3 . The flexible electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the inflexible component is positioned between flex points.
4 . The flexible electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of components is a thinned component.
5 . The flexible electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the battery is charged by induction.
6 . The flexible electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a flex limitation device disposed across at least one of the flex points.
7 . The flexible electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the flex limitation device is at least one of a strain gauge and a carbon fiber string.
8 . The flexible electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one piezoelectric strip that generates power when the flexible electronic device is flexed.
9 . The flexible electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible electronic device is hermetically sealed.
10 . The flexible electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the data interface uses inductive coupling.
11 . The flexible electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a speaker; and
at least one audio resonant cavity formed in at least one of the layers.
12 . The flexible electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the layers is an adhesive layer.
13 . The flexible electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the layers is a shock absorption layer.
14 . A method of manufacturing a flexible electronic device by lamination, comprising:
providing a first source of front layers for the flexible electronic device;
providing a second source of back layers for the flexible electronic device;
providing a source for each interior layer of the flexible electronic device, at least one interior layer having at least one flexible electronic component disposed thereon;
pressing the front, interior, and back layers together, resulting in a laminate; and
curing the laminate.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the interior layers comprises an inflexible component disposed between flex points on the interior layer.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the interior layers comprise a processor, a memory, a display, a display driver, a battery, and a data interface.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the battery is disposed among a plurality of the interior layers.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the interior layers comprises a flex limitation device disposed across at least one of the flex points.
19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the interior layers comprises at least one piezoelectric strip that generates power when the flexible electronic device is flexed.
20 . A laminate flexible electronic device, comprising:
a front layer;
a back layer;
a plurality of interior layers disposed between the front layer and the back layer; and
a plurality of components including at least a processor, a memory, a display, a display driver, a battery, and a data interface;
wherein the front layer, the interior layers, and the back layer are laminated together.