Claims
- 1. A multilayer flexible circuit for sensing physical properties of a structural surface, said multilayer flexible circuit comprising:
- sensor layers, attached to said structural surface, for sensing said physical properties and for generating a signal in response to said sensed physical properties;
- an integrated circuit for analyzing said signal;
- signal interconnect layers disposed between said integrated circuit and said sensor layers for interconnecting said signal from said sensor layers to said integrated circuit; and
- isolating means, embedded between said sensor layers and said integrated circuit, for protecting said integrated circuit from being harmed by adverse physical events endured by said structural surface;
- whereby said multilayer flexible circuit can be employed to monitor the physical properties of structural surfaces operating in harsh environments without experiencing degradation of said integrated circuit.
- 2. The multilayer flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein said isolating means comprises passive isolating materials.
- 3. The multilayer flexible circuit of claim 2 wherein said passive isolating materials are selected from the group of thermal insulating feet, trapped gas, trapped liquid or gel encapsulant.
- 4. The multilayer flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein said isolating means comprises active isolating materials and wherein said flexible circuit further comprises embedded materials interconnect layers disposed between said active isolating materials and said signal interconnect layers for interconnecting said active isolating materials to said integrated circuit.
- 5. The multilayer flexible circuit of claim 4 wherein said active isolating materials are selected from the group of piezoelectric polymers or piezoelectric crystals having sensor feedback, thermal electric cooling or thermal electric heating properties.
- 6. The multilayer flexible circuit of claim 4 wherein said signal interconnect layers include at least one intermediate signal interconnect layer and a top signal interconnect layer and wherein said sensor layers, said embedded material interconnect layers and said signal interconnect layers are comprised of:
- a first sensor dielectric layer, attached to said surface with a structural adhesive;
- a sensor metallization layer, attached to said first sensor dielectric layer with a structural adhesive;
- a second sensor dielectric layer, attached to said sensor metallization layer with a non-structural adhesive;
- an embedded materials interconnect metallization layer, attached to said second sensor dielectric layer with a non-structural adhesive, said embedded materials disposed in a pocket formed between said embedded materials interconnect metallization layer and said second sensor dielectric layer;
- an embedded materials interconnect dielectric layer, attached to said embedded materials interconnect metallization layer with a non-structural adhesive;
- an intermediate signal interconnect metallization layer, attached to said embedded materials interconnect dielectric layer with a non-structural adhesive;
- an intermediate signal interconnect dielectric layer, attached to said intermediate signal interconnect metallization layer with a non-structural adhesive;
- a top signal interconnect metallization layer, attached to said intermediate signal interconnect dielectric layer with a non-structural adhesive; and
- circuit attachment means for attaching said integrated circuit to said top signal interconnect metallization layer.
- 7. The multilayer flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein said signal interconnect layers include at least one intermediate signal interconnect layer and a top signal interconnect layer, and wherein said sensor layers and said signal interconnect layers are comprised of:
- a first sensor dielectric layer, attached to said surface with a structural adhesive;
- a sensor metallization layer, attached to said first sensor dielectric layer with a structural adhesive;
- a second sensor dielectric layer, attached to said sensor metallization layer with a non-structural adhesive;
- an intermediate signal interconnect metallization layer, attached to said second sensor dielectric layer with a non-structural adhesive, said isolation means being disposed in a pocket formed between said intermediate signal interconnect metallization layer and said second sensor dielectric layer;
- an intermediate signal interconnect dielectric layer, attached to said intermediate signal interconnect metallization layer with a non-structural adhesive;
- a top signal interconnect metallization layer, attached to said intermediate signal interconnect dielectric layer with a non-structural adhesive; and
- circuit attachment means for attaching said integrated circuit to said top signal interconnect metallization layer.
- 8. The multilayer flexible circuit of claim 7 further including layer interconnecting means interconnecting said top signal interconnect layer, said intermediate signal interconnect layer and said sensor layer.
- 9. The multilayer flexible circuit of claim 8 further including multilayer interconnect means interconnecting said top signal interconnect layer, said intermediate signal interconnect layer, said embedded materials interconnect layer and said sensor layer.
- 10. A multilayer flexible circuit for sensing physical properties of a structural surface, said multilayer flexible circuit comprising:
- sensor layers, attached to said structural surface, for sensing said physical properties and for generating a signal in response to said sensed physical properties;
- signal interconnect layers disposed above said sensor layers;
- an integrated circuit, disposed above said signal interconnect layers, wherein said signal is transmitted to said integrated circuit from said sensor layers by said signal interconnect layers and wherein said integrated circuit analyzes said signal; and
- passive isolating materials, embedded between said sensor layers and said signal interconnect layers, for protecting said integrated circuit from being harmed by adverse physical events endured by said structure, whereby said multilayer flexible circuit can be employed to monitor the physical properties of structural surfaces operating in harsh environments without experiencing degradation of said integrated circuit.
- 11. A multilayer flexible circuit for sensing physical properties of a structural surface, said multilayer flexible circuit comprising:
- sensor layers, attached to said structural surface, for sensing said physical properties and for generating a signal in response to said sensed physical properties;
- signal interconnect layers, disposed above said sensor layers;
- an integrated circuit, disposed above said signal interconnect layers, wherein said signal is transmitted to said integrated circuit by said signal interconnect layers, and wherein said integrated circuit analyzes said signal;
- active isolating materials interconnect layers, disposed between said sensor layers and said signal interconnect layers, and active isolating materials disposed in a pocket formed between said active isolating materials interconnect layers and said sensor layers where said active isolating materials protect said integrated circuit from being harmed by adverse physical events endured by said structural surface, whereby said multilayer flexible circuit can be employed to monitor the physical properties of structural surfaces operating in harsh environments without experiencing degradation of said integrated circuit.
- 12. A method for sensing physical properties of a structural surface operating in a harsh environment, said method including:
- layering sensor layers beneath signal interconnect layers beneath an integrated circuit such that at least one of said signal interconnect layers contact said integrated circuit;
- attaching said sensor layers to said structure;
- sensing said physical properties of said structure with said sensor layers and generating a signal in response to said sensed physical properties;
- transmitting said signal from said sensor layers to said integrated circuit through said signal interconnect layers; and
- isolating said integrated circuit from harsh physical conditions by forming a pocket between said sensor layers and said signal interconnect layers with isolating means disposed within said pocket for attenuating undue phenomena such that said integrated circuit is able to operate in a harsh environment without experiencing degradation.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/738,389 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,516 filed Jul. 31, 1991 by inventor E. S. Blazic, "Large Area Strain and Crack Gauge Flexible Circuit", assigned to the assignee of this application, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
738389 |
Jul 1991 |
|