US Patent 9600112 Signal trace patterns for flexible substrates

A flexible substrate may have one or more bends. A bend in a flexible substrate may be made along a bend axis. Conductive traces in the flexible substrate may have elongated shapes. Each conductive trace may extend along a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to the bend axis. Metal or other conductive materials may form the conductive traces. The traces may be formed from a chain of linked segments. Each segment may have patterned trace portions that surround one, two, or more than two openings. Traces may also be formed that have multiple layers of metal or other conductive material interconnected using vias. A polymer layer may cover the traces to align a neutral stress plane with the traces and to serve as a moisture barrier layer.