Conductor pad for flexible circuits and flexible circuit incorporating the same

Abstract

A conductor pad and a flexible circuit including a conductor pad are provided. The conductor pad includes a first contact region, a second contact region, and a body portion configured to establish a conductive path between the first contact region and the second contact region. The body portion includes a perimeter edge having at least a first convex segment and a second convex with a first non-convex segment disposed between the first convex segment and the second convex segment. A method of constructing a flexible circuit to facilitate roll-to-roll manufacturing of the flexible circuit is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A conductor pad comprising:
 a first contact region;   a second contact region; and   a body portion configured to establish a conductive path between the first contact region and the second contact region, wherein the first contact region and the second contact region are intersected by a horizontal axis of the conductor pad, or are vertically spaced from each other relative to the horizontal axis, the body portion comprising conductive material having a perimeter edge, the perimeter edge comprising on each side of the horizontal axis:
 a first convex segment; 
 a second convex segment; and 
 a first non-convex segment disposed between the first convex segment and the second convex segment. 
   
     
     
         2 . The conductor pad of  claim 1 , wherein the first non-convex segment is a concave segment. 
     
     
         3 . The conductor pad of  claim 1 , wherein the first convex segment has a first convex segment outermost edge at a distance H 1  from the horizontal axis, and wherein the second convex segment defines an outermost edge of the perimeter edge at a distance H 2  from the horizontal axis, wherein the distance H 2  is greater than the distance H 1 . 
     
     
         4 . The conductor pad of  claim 1 , wherein the first contact region and the first convex segment are at a proximal end of the conductor pad and the first convex segment extends in a direction away from the first contact region at an angle θ 1 , wherein θ 1  is a positive angle. 
     
     
         5 . The conductor pad of  claim 1 , wherein the second convex segment extends upward from the first non-convex segment in a direction away from the horizontal axis at an angle θ 2 , wherein θ 2  is between 0 and 45 degrees, inclusive. 
     
     
         6 . The conductor pad of  claim 1 , comprising a third convex segment and a second non-convex segment disposed between the second convex segment and the third convex segment. 
     
     
         7 . The conductor pad of  claim 6 , wherein the second convex segment defines an outermost edge of the perimeter edge at a distance H 2  from the horizontal axis, wherein the third convex segment has a third convex segment outermost edge at a distance H 3  from the horizontal axis, and wherein the distance H 2  is greater than the distance H 3 . 
     
     
         8 . The conductor pad of  claim 1 , wherein the first contact region and the second contact region are formed integrally with the body portion.