# US 10,485,118 B2 · Multi-part flexible encapsulation housing for electronic devices and methods of making the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,485,118 B2 - Document ID: US10485118B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/119,559 - Filed: 2015-03-04 - Published: 2017-08-03 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-04 - Assignees: MC10, Inc. - Applicants: MC10, Inc. - Inventors: Brian Elolampi; David G. Garlock; Harold Gaudette; Steven Fastert; Adam Standley; Yung-Yu Hsu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10485118B2 ## CPC - H05K 5/0034: {having an overmolded housing covering the PCB} - H05K 1/181: associated with surface mounted components - H05K 1/189: characterised by the use of flexible or folded printed circuits - H05K 3/284: {for encapsulating mounted components (H05K1/185 takes precedence)} - H05K 3/32: electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits - H05K 5/0056: {characterized by features for protecting electronic components against vibration and moisture, e.g. potting, holders for relatively large capacitors} - H05K 5/006: {characterized by features for holding the PCB within the housing} - H05K 5/065: {sealed by encapsulation, e.g. waterproof resin forming an integral casing, injection moulding} - H05K 2201/09063: Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections - H05K 2201/09872: Insulating conformal coating - H05K 2201/10151: Sensor - H05K 2203/1311: Foil encapsulation, e.g. of mounted components - H05K 2203/1316: Moulded encapsulation of mounted components - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract 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. ## Claims ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) 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). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The conformal IC device of claim 1, wherein the flexible multi-part encapsulation housing is fabricated from a stretchable and bendable non-conductive material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The conformal IC device of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate and the electronic circuitry cooperatively form a flexible printed circuit board assembly (FPCBA). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The conformal IC device of claim 1, wherein the flexible multi-part encapsulation housing completely encases therein the electronic circuitry and the flexible substrate. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) 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. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising applying pressure to the stack to thereby cure the adhesive at or near room temperature. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising performing a die cut on the stack. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising priming portions of the FPCBA prior to dispensing the second shot of adhesive. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) 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. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the bottom encapsulation housing component comprises a second recessed substrate region for seating therein the flexible substrate. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the FPCBA is completely encased between the top and bottom flexible encapsulation housing components. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the FPCBA is completely encased between the top and bottom flexible encapsulation housing components. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the FPCBA is completely encased between the top and bottom flexible encapsulation housing components.