Flexible Type Electrical Feed-Through

An electrical feed-through configured to interface between a hermetically-sealed environment and an external environment, the feed-through comprising:

• a flexible printed circuit (FPC) part comprising a base insulating layer, a conductor layer over the insulating layer, and a cover insulating layer over the conductor layer, wherein the conductor layer comprises a plurality of electrical connection pads and electrical conductors connecting pairs of the pads;
• and
• a metal plate at least in part around which the FPC is wrapped and to which the FPC is adhered, forming a connector assembly comprising first pads of the pairs on an upper side of the connector assembly electrically connected via the conductors to second pads of the pairs on the lower side of the connector assembly;
• and
• wherein the FPC is shaped such that, when wrapped around the metal plate, one or more portions of the metal plate at each end of the metal plate are not covered by the FPC and are thereby exposed on the upper and the lower sides of the connector assembly.

A method of manufacturing an electrical feed-through component, the method comprising:

• forming a laminate flexible cable assembly (FCA) comprising a base insulating layer, a conductor layer over the insulating layer, and a cover insulating layer over the conductor layer, wherein the conductor layer comprises a plurality of electrical connection pads and electrical conductors connecting pairs of the pads;
• folding the FCA at least in part around a metal plate;
• and
• adhering the FCA to the metal plate, forming a connector assembly comprising first pads of the pairs on an upper side of the connector assembly electrically connected via the conductors to second pads of the pairs on the lower side of the connector assembly;
• wherein the FCA is shaped such that, when folded around the metal plate, one or more portions of the metal plate at each end of the metal plate are not covered by the FCA and are thereby exposed on the upper and the lower sides of the connector assembly.

A method of sealing an electrical feed-through configured to interface between a hermetically-sealed environment and an external environment, the method comprising:

• positioning an electrical feed-through to interface with an outer surface of a metal enclosure base, wherein the feed-through comprises:
• a flexible circuit assembly comprising a laminate of a base insulating layer, a conductor layer over the insulating layer, and a cover insulating layer over the conductor layer, wherein the conductor layer comprises a plurality of electrical connection pads and electrical conductors connecting pairs of the pads, and
• a metal part partially enveloped by and adhered to the flexible circuit assembly, forming a connector assembly comprising first pads of the pairs on one side of the connector assembly electrically connected via the conductors to second pads of the pairs on the opposing side of the connector assembly;
• wherein the flexible circuit assembly is shaped such that, when partially enveloping the metal part, one or more portions of the metal part at each end of the metal part are not covered by the flexible circuit assembly and are thereby exposed to the metal enclosure base;
• and
• adhesively bonding the exposed one or more portions of the metal part of the feed-through directly to the metal enclosure base.

A method of sealing an interface between a hermetically-sealed environment of an electronic component and an external environment, the method comprising:

• providing electrical transmission means for transmitting electrical signals through the interface;
• providing means for mating a metal portion at each end of the electrical transmission means with a respective metal portion of a base of the electronic component;
• and
• providing hermetically-sealing means for bonding the metal portion of the electrical transmission means with the metal portion of the base.