# US 12,213,806 B2 · Non-rigid wearable devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,213,806 B2 - Document ID: US12213806B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/100,327 - Filed: 2023-01-23 - Published: 2024-01-25 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-14 - Assignees: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc. - Applicants: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc. - Inventors: Louis G. Pace - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213806B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/6833: {Adhesive patches} - A61B 5/002: {Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building (A61B5/0017 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/14532: {for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement} - A61B 2562/164: the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier - A61B 2562/166: the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Systems, devices, and methods are provided for a non-rigid wearable device comprising electrical circuitry and a support structure supporting the electrical circuitry. The support structure having rigid sections that rigidly support components of the electrical circuitry to protect components and/or solder joints from stress due to deflection and having non-rigid or flexible sections where there are no solder connections present on the electrical circuitry and/or where there are interconnecting traces present on the electrical circuitry that can tolerate stress due to deflection. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wearable device wearable on a body of a user, comprising: a flexible circuit board comprising a plurality of conductive traces and a plurality of electrical components; a support structure coupled to the circuit board, the support structure comprising at least one flexible section and at least one stiff section, wherein the support structure is bendable along the at least one flexible section, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section are connected in a single layer; and a flexible patch having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the at least one stiff section contacts the first surface of the flexible patch, and wherein the second surface is adhesive, and wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section are formed via unitary construction from the same material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one stiff section comprises a first and a second stiff section and wherein the at least one flexible section is located in between the first stiff section and the second stiff section. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of electrical components are coupled to one or more sections of the at least one stiff section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible section is positioned under the flexible circuit board absent electrical components coupled thereto. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible section is positioned under an area of the flexible circuit board comprising one or more conductive traces of the plurality of conductive traces. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, comprising a plurality of stiff sections, and wherein the at least one flexible section forms a hinge between adjacent individual ones of the plurality of stiff sections. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, comprising a plurality of stiff sections, and wherein the at least one flexible section is a groove between adjacent individual ones of the plurality of stiff sections. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible section is thinner than the at least one stiff section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a cover coupled to the flexible patch over the plurality of electrical components and support structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical components are adapted to process data indicative of an analyte level. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to output data indicative of an analyte level, wherein the sensor is coupled to one or more electrical components of the plurality of electrical components. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section form one or more geometric patterns. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section form a single layer on the flexible patch. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises an opening that is configured to receive a portion of a sensor. ### Claim 15 A wearable device wearable on a body of a user, comprising: a flexible circuit board comprising a plurality of conductive traces and a plurality of electrical components; a support structure coupled to the circuit board, the support structure comprising at least one flexible section and at least one stiff section, wherein the support structure is bendable along the at least one flexible section, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section are connected in a single layer; and a flexible patch having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the at least one stiff section contacts the first surface of the flexible patch, and wherein the second surface is adhesive, and wherein the plurality of electrical components are adapted to process data indicative of an analyte level. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one stiff section comprises a first and a second stiff section and wherein the at least one flexible section is located in between the first stiff section and the second stiff section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein one or more of the plurality of electrical components are coupled to one or more sections of the at least one stiff section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one flexible section is positioned under the flexible circuit board absent electrical components coupled thereto. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one flexible section is positioned under an area of the flexible circuit board comprising one or more conductive traces of the plurality of conductive traces. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, comprising a plurality of stiff sections, and wherein the at least one flexible section forms a hinge between adjacent individual ones of the plurality of stiff sections. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, comprising a plurality of stiff sections, and wherein the at least one flexible section is a groove between adjacent individual ones of the plurality of stiff sections. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one flexible section is thinner than the at least one stiff section. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, further comprising a cover coupled to the flexible patch over the plurality of electrical components and support structure. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, further comprising a sensor configured to output the data indicative of the analyte level, wherein the sensor is coupled to one or more electrical components of the plurality of electrical components. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section form one or more geometric patterns. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section form a single layer on the flexible patch. ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the support structure comprises an opening that is configured to receive a portion of a sensor. ### Claim 28 A wearable device wearable on a body of a user, comprising: a flexible circuit board comprising a plurality of conductive traces and a plurality of electrical components; a support structure coupled to the circuit board, the support structure comprising at least one flexible section and at least one stiff section, wherein the support structure is bendable along the at least one flexible section, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section are connected in a single layer; a flexible patch having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the at least one stiff section contacts the first surface of the flexible patch, and wherein the second surface is adhesive; and a sensor configured to output data indicative of an analyte level, wherein the sensor is coupled to one or more electrical components of the plurality of electrical components. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The device of claim 28, wherein the at least one stiff section comprises a first and a second stiff section and wherein the at least one flexible section is located in between the first stiff section and the second stiff section. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The device of claim 28, wherein one or more of the plurality of electrical components are coupled to one or more sections of the at least one stiff section. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The device of claim 28, wherein the at least one flexible section is positioned under the flexible circuit board absent electrical components coupled thereto. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The device of claim 28, wherein the at least one flexible section is positioned under an area of the flexible circuit board comprising one or more conductive traces of the plurality of conductive traces. ### Claim 33 (depends on 28) The device of claim 28, comprising a plurality of stiff sections, and wherein the at least one flexible section forms a hinge between adjacent individual ones of the plurality of stiff sections. ### Claim 34 (depends on 28) The device of claim 28, comprising a plurality of stiff sections, and wherein the at least one flexible section is a groove between adjacent individual ones of the plurality of stiff sections. ### Claim 35 (depends on 28) The device of claim 28, wherein the at least one flexible section is thinner than the at least one stiff section. ### Claim 36 (depends on 28) The device of claim 28, further comprising a cover coupled to the flexible patch over the plurality of electrical components and support structure. ### Claim 37 (depends on 28) The device of claim 28, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section form one or more geometric patterns. ### Claim 38 (depends on 28) The device of claim 28, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section form a single layer on the flexible patch. ### Claim 39 (depends on 28) The device of claim 28, wherein the support structure comprises an opening that is configured to receive a portion of a sensor. ### Claim 40 A wearable device wearable on a body of a user, comprising: a flexible circuit board comprising a plurality of conductive traces and a plurality of electrical components; a support structure coupled to the circuit board, the support structure comprising at least one flexible section and at least one stiff section, wherein the support structure is bendable along the at least one flexible section, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section are connected in a single layer; and a flexible patch having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the at least one stiff section contacts the first surface of the flexible patch, and wherein the second surface is adhesive, and wherein the support structure comprises an opening that is configured to receive a portion of a sensor. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The device of claim 40, wherein the at least one stiff section comprises a first and a second stiff section and wherein the at least one flexible section is located in between the first stiff section and the second stiff section. ### Claim 42 (depends on 40) The device of claim 40, wherein one or more of the plurality of electrical components are coupled to one or more sections of the at least one stiff section. ### Claim 43 (depends on 40) The device of claim 40, wherein the at least one flexible section is positioned under the flexible circuit board absent electrical components coupled thereto. ### Claim 44 (depends on 40) The device of claim 40, wherein the at least one flexible section is positioned under an area of the flexible circuit board comprising one or more conductive traces of the plurality of conductive traces. ### Claim 45 (depends on 40) The device of claim 40, comprising a plurality of stiff sections, and wherein the at least one flexible section forms a hinge between adjacent individual ones of the plurality of stiff sections. ### Claim 46 (depends on 40) The device of claim 40, comprising a plurality of stiff sections, and wherein the at least one flexible section is a groove between adjacent individual ones of the plurality of stiff sections. ### Claim 47 (depends on 40) The device of claim 40, wherein the at least one flexible section is thinner than the at least one stiff section. ### Claim 48 (depends on 40) The device of claim 40, further comprising a cover coupled to the flexible patch over the plurality of electrical components and support structure. ### Claim 49 (depends on 40) The device of claim 40, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section form one or more geometric patterns. ### Claim 50 (depends on 40) The device of claim 40, wherein the at least one flexible section and the at least one stiff section form a single layer on the flexible patch.