Multi-part flexible encapsulation housing for electronic devices and methods of making the same
Encapsulated conformal electronic devices, encapsulated conformal integrated circuit (IC) systems, and methods of making and using encapsulated conformal electronic devices are presented herein. A conformal IC device is disclosed which includes a flexible substrate, electronic circuitry attached to the flexible substrate, and a flexible multi-part encapsulation housing encasing therein the electronic circuitry and flexible substrate. The multi-part housing includes first and second encapsulation housing components. The first encapsulation housing component has recessed regions for seating therein the electronic circuitry, while the second encapsulation housing component has recessed regions for seating therein the flexible substrate. First encapsulation housing component optionally includes a recessed region for seating therein the flexible substrate. Either housing component may include one or more projections that pass through holes in the substrate to engage complementary depressions in the other housing component to thereby align and interlock the encapsulation housing components with the flexible substrate and electronic circuitry.
1. A conformal integrated circuit (IC) device comprising:
a flexible substrate;
an electronic circuitry attached to the flexible substrate; and
a flexible multi-part encapsulation housing at least substantially encasing therein the electronic circuitry and the flexible substrate, the multi-part encapsulation housing including a first encapsulation housing component attached to a second encapsulation housing component, the first encapsulation housing component having at least one first recessed region for seating therein the electronic circuitry, and the second encapsulation housing component having at least one second recessed region for seating therein the flexible substrate,
wherein the electronic circuitry includes a plurality of device islands and a plurality of stretchable electrical interconnects electrically connecting two or more of the device islands.
2. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the least one first recessed region of the first encapsulation housing component comprises at least one recessed substrate region for seating therein the flexible substrate.
3. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a plurality of electrically interconnected IC devices, and wherein the at least one first recessed region comprises a plurality of pockets for seating therein the IC devices.
4. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate has one or more through holes, the first encapsulation housing component having a first projection that protrudes into a first of the one or more through holes to thereby align and interlock the first encapsulation housing component with the flexible substrate and the electronic circuitry.
5. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate has one or more through holes, the second encapsulation housing component having a second projection that passes through a second of the one or more through holes and engages a complementary aperture in the first encapsulation housing component to thereby align and interlock the first and second encapsulation housing components with the flexible substrate and the electronic circuitry.
6. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible multi-part encapsulation housing has a durometer hardness rating of at least about 20 Shore A and a tear strength of at least about 80 pounds per inch (ppi).
7. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible multi-part encapsulation housing is fabricated from a stretchable and bendable non-conductive material.
8. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second encapsulation housing components are molded from liquid silicone rubber (LSR) materials in a liquid injection molding (LIM) process.
9. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second encapsulation housing components are adhered together such that the flexible substrate and the electronic circuitry are sandwiched between the first and second encapsulation housing components.
10. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate and the electronic circuitry cooperatively form a flexible printed circuit board assembly (FPCBA).
11. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible multi-part encapsulation housing is configured to hermetically seal the flexible substrate and the electronic circuitry.
12. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic circuitry comprises an integrated circuit sensor system with at least one sensing device and at least one controller device.
13. The conformal IC device of claim 1 , wherein the flexible multi-part encapsulation housing completely encases therein the electronic circuitry and the flexible substrate.
14. An encapsulated conformal electronics device comprising:
a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB);
a plurality of surface-mount technology (SMT) components configured as integrated circuit (IC) devices mounted on the FPCB;
a plurality of stretchable electrical interconnects electrically connecting two or more of the SMT components; and
a flexible bipartite encapsulation housing encasing therein the FPCB, the SMT components and the stretchable electrical interconnects, the flexible bipartite encapsulation housing including top and bottom housings segments, the top encapsulation housing segment having first prefabricated recessed regions for seating therein the SMT components and the stretchable electrical interconnects, and the bottom encapsulation housing segment having second prefabricated recessed regions for seating therein the FPCB.
15. The encapsulated conformal electronics device of claim 14 , wherein the flexible bipartite encapsulation housing completely encases therein the SMT components, the stretchable electrical interconnects, and the FPCB.
16. A method for encapsulating a conformal electronic device, the method comprising:
molding a top flexible encapsulation housing component;
molding a bottom flexible encapsulation housing component;
placing the bottom flexible encapsulation housing component into an assembly fixture;
dispensing a first shot of adhesive onto the bottom flexible encapsulation housing component;
placing a flexible printed circuit board assembly (FPCBA) on top of the first shot of adhesive and the bottom flexible encapsulation housing component in the assembly fixture;
dispensing a second shot of adhesive onto the FPCBA and the bottom flexible encapsulation housing component; and
placing the top flexible encapsulation housing component on top of the FPCBA and the second shot of adhesive in the assembly fixture to create a stack and thereby encase the FPCBA between the top and bottom flexible encapsulation housing components,
wherein the FPCBA comprises a flexible substrate and a plurality of device islands electrically connected via stretchable electrical interconnects, and wherein the top encapsulation housing component comprises a first recessed substrate region for seating therein the flexible substrate.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising applying pressure to the stack to thereby cure the adhesive at or near room temperature.
18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising performing a die cut on the stack.
19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising priming portions of the FPCBA prior to dispensing the second shot of adhesive.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of device islands include spaced IC devices electrically connected via electrical interconnects, and wherein the top flexible encapsulation housing component comprises a plurality of pockets for seating therein the IC devices and the electrical interconnects.
21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the bottom encapsulation housing component comprises a second recessed substrate region for seating therein the flexible substrate.
22. The method of claim 16 , wherein the FPCBA is completely encased between the top and bottom flexible encapsulation housing components.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the FPCBA is completely encased between the top and bottom flexible encapsulation housing components.
24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the FPCBA is completely encased between the top and bottom flexible encapsulation housing components.