Variable stiffness modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12456706-B2
Application number	US-202017637913-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2020
Priority date	Aug 26, 2019
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

A variable-stiffness module includes a rigid structure having a first stiffness, an intermediate substrate having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness, and a flexible substrate having a third stiffness less than the second stiffness. The rigid structure is disposed on the intermediate substrate and the intermediate substrate is disposed on the flexible substrate. A conductor is disposed partially on the intermediate substrate and partially on the flexible substrate and is connected to the rigid structure. The conductor extends from the rigid structure to the intermediate substrate to the flexible substrate. In some embodiments, a variable-stiffness module includes any combination of multiple rigid structures, multiple intermediate substrates, and multiple conductors. The conductor can be an optical conductor or an electrical conductor and can be disposed over the rigid structure or between the rigid structure and the intermediate substrate.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A variable-stiffness module, comprising:
a rigid structure having a first stiffness; an intermediate substrate having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness, wherein the rigid structure is disposed on the intermediate substrate; a flexible substrate having a third stiffness less than the second stiffness, wherein the intermediate substrate is disposed on the flexible substrate; and a conductor disposed partially on the intermediate substrate and partially on the flexible substrate and connected to the rigid structure, the conductor extending from the rigid structure to the intermediate substrate to the flexible substrate, wherein the intermediate substrate has a different thickness than the flexible substrate and/or the intermediate substrate comprises a different material composition than the flexible substrate, and wherein the conductor is disposed on a side of the intermediate substrate opposite the flexible substrate.

2 . The variable-stiffness module of claim 1 , wherein the conductor is an electrical conductor.

3 . A method of making a variable-stiffness module, comprising:
providing a rigid structure having a first stiffness; providing an intermediate substrate having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness; providing a flexible substrate having a third stiffness less than the second stiffness; disposing the rigid structure on the intermediate substrate and disposing the intermediate substrate on the flexible substrate; disposing a conductor partially on the intermediate substrate and partially on the flexible substrate; and connecting the rigid structure to the conductor so that the conductor extends from the rigid structure to the intermediate substrate to the flexible substrate, wherein the intermediate substrate has a different thickness than the flexible substrate and/or the intermediate substrate comprises a different material composition than the flexible substrate, and wherein the conductor is disposed on a side of the intermediate substrate opposite the flexible substrate.

4 . A variable-stiffness module, comprising:
a rigid structure having a first stiffness; an intermediate substrate having a variable stiffness, wherein a portion of the intermediate substrate has a local stiffness less than the first stiffness, wherein the rigid structure is disposed on the portion of the intermediate substrate; a flexible substrate having a third stiffness less than the variable stiffness, wherein the intermediate substrate is disposed on the flexible substrate; and a conductor disposed on the rigid structure and on the intermediate substrate, the conductor extending from the rigid structure to the intermediate substrate, and wherein the conductor is disposed on a side of the intermediate substrate opposite the flexible substrate.

5 . A module, comprising:
a rigid structure having a first stiffness; an intermediate substrate having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness, wherein the rigid structure is disposed on the intermediate substrate; a flexible substrate having a third stiffness less than or equal to the second stiffness, wherein the intermediate substrate is disposed on the flexible substrate and the rigid structure is disposed at least partially between the intermediate substrate and the flexible substrate; and a conductor disposed at least partially on the flexible substrate and connected to the rigid structure, wherein the intermediate substrate has a different thickness than the flexible substrate and/or the intermediate substrate comprises a different material composition than the flexible substrate, and wherein the conductor is disposed on a side of the intermediate substrate opposite the flexible substrate.

6 . A variable-stiffness module, comprising:
a rigid structure having a first stiffness; an intermediate substrate having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness, wherein the rigid structure is disposed on the intermediate substrate; a flexible substrate having a third stiffness less than the second stiffness, wherein the intermediate substrate is disposed on the flexible substrate; and a conductor disposed partially on the intermediate substrate and partially on the flexible substrate and connected to the rigid structure, the conductor extending from the rigid structure to the intermediate substrate to the flexible substrate, wherein the intermediate substrate comprises a protrusion that extends from an intermediate substrate body in a direction in which the conductor extends.

7 . A variable-stiffness module, comprising:
a rigid structure having a first stiffness; an intermediate substrate having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness, wherein the rigid structure is disposed on the intermediate substrate; a flexible substrate having a third stiffness less than the second stiffness, wherein the intermediate substrate is disposed on the flexible substrate; and a conductor disposed partially on the intermediate substrate and partially on the flexible substrate and connected to the rigid structure, the conductor extending from the rigid structure to the intermediate substrate to the flexible substrate, wherein the intermediate substrate has a different thickness than the flexible substrate and/or the intermediate substrate comprises a different material composition than the flexible substrate, and wherein the intermediate substrate is a first intermediate substrate and the module further comprises a second intermediate substrate having a fourth stiffness less than the second stiffness and greater than the third stiffness, wherein the second intermediate substrate is disposed on the flexible substrate and the first intermediate substrate is disposed on the second intermediate substrate, and wherein the conductor extends from the first intermediate substrate to the second intermediate substrate to the flexible substrate, wherein the first intermediate substrate has a different thickness than the second intermediate substrate and/or the first intermediate substrate comprises a different material composition than the second intermediate substrate.

8 . A variable-stiffness module, comprising:
a rigid structure having a first stiffness; an intermediate substrate having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness, wherein the rigid structure is disposed on the intermediate substrate; a flexible substrate having a third stiffness less than the second stiffness, wherein the intermediate substrate is disposed on the flexible substrate; and a conductor disposed partially on the intermediate substrate and partially on the flexible substrate and connected to the rigid structure, the conductor extending from the rigid structure to the intermediate substrate to the flexible substrate, wherein the intermediate substrate has a different thickness than the flexible substrate and/or the intermediate substrate comprises a different material composition than the flexible substrate, and wherein the rigid structure is a first rigid structure and the module further comprises a second rigid structure having a fourth stiffness greater than at least one of the second stiffness and the third stiffness, wherein the second rigid structure is disposed on the flexible substrate, and wherein the conductor extends from the first rigid structure to the second rigid structure.

9 . The variable-stiffness module of claim 8 , wherein the first rigid structure and the second rigid structure are disposed on the intermediate substrate.

10 . A variable-stiffness module, comprising:
a rigid structure having a first stiffness; an intermediate substrate having a second stiffness less than the first s

Assignees

• X Celeprint Ltd
• Leonhard Kurz Stiftung & Co Kg

Inventors

• Cok Ronald S
• Roithmeier Gabriele
• Schulz Christian
• Scharfenberg Michael

Classifications

• H10W90/293

  characterised by non-galvanic coupling between the chips, e.g. capacitive coupling · CPC title

• H10W72/0198

  batch processes · CPC title

• H10W74/15

  on active surfaces of flip-chip devices, e.g. underfills · CPC title

• H10W72/00

  Interconnections or connectors in packages · CPC title

• H10W72/07337

  using a polymer adhesive, e.g. an adhesive based on silicone or epoxy · CPC title