# US 10,874,015 B2 · Flexible hybrid interconnect circuits > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,874,015 B2 - Document ID: US10874015B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/850,340 - Filed: 2020-04-16 - Published: 2020-07-30 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-29 - Assignees: CelLink Corporation - Applicants: CellLink Corporation - Inventors: Kevin Michael Coakley; Malcolm Parker Brown; Jose Juarez; Emily Hernandez; Joseph Pratt; Peter Stone; Vidya Viswanath; Will Findlay - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10874015B2 ## CPC - H05K 1/0219: {Printed shielding conductors for shielding around or between signal conductors, e.g. coplanar or coaxial printed shielding conductors} - H05K 1/0225: {Single or multiple openings in a shielding, ground or power plane (H05K1/0227 takes precedence)} - H01B 11/00: Communication cables or conductors - H05K 1/0237: {High frequency adaptations (H05K1/0216 takes precedence)} - H05K 1/028: {Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits (H05K1/0283 takes precedence)} - H05K 1/0393: {Flexible materials (H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups)} - H05K 1/118: {specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions} - H05K 3/4084: {by deforming at least one of the conductive layers} - H01B 7/0838: {Parallel wires, sandwiched between two insulating layers} - H01B 7/0861: {comprising one or more screens} - H05K 1/0326: {containing O} - H05K 2201/0145: Polyester, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET], polyethylene naphthalate [PEN] - H05K 2201/0154: Polyimide - H05K 2201/052: Branched - H05K 2201/068: wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion is important - H05K 2201/0715: provided by an outer layer of PCB - H05K 2201/0723: provided by an inner layer of PCB - H05K 2201/09509: Blind vias, i.e. vias having one side closed - H05K 2201/09563: Metal filled via - H05K 2201/0959: Plated through-holes or plated blind vias filled with insulating material - H05K 2201/10401: Eyelets, i.e. rings inserted into a hole through a circuit board - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) ## Abstract Provided are flexible hybrid interconnect circuits and methods of forming thereof. A flexible hybrid interconnect circuit comprises multiple conductive layers, stacked and spaced apart along the thickness of the circuit. Each conductive layer comprises one or more conductive elements, one of which is operable as a high frequency (HF) signal line. Other conductive elements, in the same and other conductive layers, form an electromagnetic shield around the HF signal line. Some conductive elements in the same circuit are used for electrical power transmission. All conductive elements are supported by one or more inner dielectric layers and enclosed by outer dielectric layers. The overall stack is thin and flexible and may be conformally attached to a non-planar surface. Each conductive layer may be formed by patterning the same metallic sheet. Multiple pattern sheets are laminated together with inner and outer dielectric layers to form a flexible hybrid interconnect circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flexible hybrid interconnect circuit comprising: a first strip; a second strip; a third strip, such that the first strip is positioned between the second strip and the third strip; a first circuit opening, disposed between and partially separates the first strip and the second strip; a second circuit opening, disposed between and partially separates the first strip and the third strip, wherein the first circuit opening and the second circuit opening are configured for in-plane bending of the flexible hybrid interconnect circuit, and wherein the first circuit opening and the second circuit opening have different lengths and at least partially overlap with each other along a length of the flexible hybrid interconnect circuit; a first outer dielectric, comprising first dielectric openings, corresponding to the first circuit opening and the second circuit opening; a second outer dielectric, comprising second dielectric openings, corresponding to the first circuit opening and the second circuit opening; a signal transmission portion, disposed between the first outer dielectric and the second outer dielectric and comprising a first signal line, disposed within the first strip and between the first circuit opening and the second circuit opening; and a power transmission portion, disposed between the first outer dielectric and the second outer dielectric and offset relative to the signal transmission portion along a width of the flexible hybrid interconnect circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 1, wherein the signal transmission portion further comprises a first shield, offset relative to the first signal line along a thickness of the flexible hybrid interconnect circuit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 2, wherein the first shield of the signal transmission portion comprises a first shield opening, partially overlapping with the first circuit opening. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 3, wherein the first shield of the signal transmission portion comprises a first additional shield opening, partially overlapping the second circuit opening. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 2, wherein the signal transmission portion further comprises a second shield, offset relative to the first signal line along a thickness of the flexible hybrid interconnect circuit such that the first signal line is positioned between the first shield and the second shield. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 5, wherein the second shield of the signal transmission portion comprises a second shield opening, partially overlapping with the first circuit opening. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 5, wherein the signal transmission portion further comprises a third shield and a fourth shield, wherein the first signal line is disposed between the third shield and the fourth shield along a width of the flexible hybrid interconnect circuit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 7, wherein the third shield and the fourth shield are disposed within the first strip and between the first circuit opening and the second circuit opening. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 7, wherein each of the third shield and the third shield is disposed between the first shield and the second shield along the thickness of the flexible hybrid interconnect circuit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 2, wherein the first signal line is electrically insulated from the first shield. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 1, further comprising: a first inner dielectric, disposed between the first signal line and the first outer dielectric; and a second inner dielectric, disposed between the first signal line and the second outer dielectric. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first inner dielectric and the second inner dielectric comprises crosslinked low density polyethylene (LDPE). ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 11, wherein at least one the first inner dielectric or the second inner dielectric comprises a flame retardant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 1, further comprising: an interconnect hub, connected to the first signal line; and a second signal line, connected to the interconnect hub, wherein the interconnect hub is configured to selective connect and disconnect the first signal line and the second signal line. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 14, further comprising a third signal line, connected to the interconnect hub, wherein the interconnect hub is configured to selective connect and disconnect the first signal line and either one of the second signal line or the third signal line. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 15, wherein the interconnect hub is remotely controlled using one of the first signal line, the second signal line, or the third signal line. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 14, wherein the interconnect hub is one of a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a controller, or a computer chip. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The flexible hybrid interconnect circuit of claim 14, wherein the second signal line is disposed in one of the second strip or the third strip.