U.S. patent application number 15/670232 was filed with the patent office on 2019-02-07 for stacked flexible printed circuit board assembly with side connection section.
The applicant listed for this patent is ADVANCED FLEXIBLE CIRCUITS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to CHIH-HENG CHUO, KUO-FU SU.
Application Number | 20190045633 15/670232 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 65231683 |
Filed Date | 2019-02-07 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190045633 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHUO; CHIH-HENG ; et
al. |
February 7, 2019 |
STACKED FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD ASSEMBLY WITH SIDE
CONNECTION SECTION
Abstract
A stacked flexible printed circuit board assembly with a side
connection section is provided, including a first flexible printed
circuit board, a second flexible printed circuit board, and a
curved connection section. The curved connection section is
integrally connected to and between side edges of the first
flexible printed circuit board and the second flexible printed
circuit board. The first flexible printed circuit board is folded
in a direction toward and thus stacked on the second flexible
printed circuit board such that a plurality of first contact pads
of the first flexible printed circuit board correspond respectively
to a plurality of second contact pads of the second flexible
printed circuit board. A height adjustment layer or an adhesive
layer is provided between the first flexible printed circuit board
and the second flexible printed circuit board to suit the need of
thickness in plugging or soldering.
Inventors: |
CHUO; CHIH-HENG; (BADE CITY,
TW) ; SU; KUO-FU; (ZHONGLI CITY, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ADVANCED FLEXIBLE CIRCUITS CO., LTD. |
ZHONGLI CITY |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
65231683 |
Appl. No.: |
15/670232 |
Filed: |
August 7, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 2201/056 20130101;
H05K 1/028 20130101; H05K 1/0393 20130101; H05K 1/144 20130101;
H05K 2201/10189 20130101; H05K 1/147 20130101; H05K 2201/2009
20130101; H05K 3/28 20130101; H05K 2201/052 20130101; H05K 1/111
20130101; H05K 2201/0162 20130101; H05K 3/3405 20130101; H05K 1/118
20130101; H05K 2201/10446 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H05K 1/14 20060101
H05K001/14; H05K 1/11 20060101 H05K001/11; H05K 1/02 20060101
H05K001/02; H05K 1/03 20060101 H05K001/03 |
Claims
1. A stacked flexible printed circuit board assembly, comprising: a
first flexible printed circuit board including a first plugging
section and a first extension section extending from the first
plugging section in an extension direction, the first plugging
section including a first bonding surface and a first exposed
surface, the first flexible printed circuit board being delimited
with a first outer side edge and a first inner side edge; a
plurality of first circuit traces arranged in the extension
direction on the first extension section of the first flexible
printed circuit board; a plurality of first contact pads arranged
in a manner of being spaced from each other on the first plugging
section of the first flexible printed circuit board and are located
on the first exposed surface and connected to the plurality of
first circuit traces; a second flexible printed circuit board
including a second plugging section and a second extension section
extending from the second plugging section in the extension
direction, the first extension section of the first flexible
printed circuit board and the second extension section of the
second flexible printed circuit board being stacked and enclosed
with an enclosure protection layer, the second plugging section
including a second bonding surface and a second exposed surface,
the second plugging section being a plugging terminal section
located adjacent to the second flexible printed circuit board, the
second flexible printed circuit board being delimited with a second
outer side edge and a second inner side edge; a plurality of second
circuit traces arranged in the extension direction on the second
extension section of the second flexible printed circuit board; a
plurality of second contact pads arranged in a manner of being
spaced from each other on the second plugging section of the second
flexible printed circuit board and are located on the second
exposed surface and connected to the plurality of second circuit
traces; a curved connection section integrally connected to and
between the first inner side edge of the first flexible printed
circuit board and the second inner side edge of the second flexible
printed circuit board, the first bonding surface of the first
flexible printed circuit board being folded in a direction toward
and stacked on the second bonding surface of the second flexible
printed circuit board so that the curved connection section forms a
curved continuous surface and the plurality of first contact pads
of the first flexible printed circuit board respectively correspond
to the plurality of second contact pads of the second flexible
printed circuit board; and a height adjustment layer, which is
combined between the first bonding surface of the first flexible
printed circuit board and the second bonding surface of the second
flexible printed circuit board.
2. The stacked flexible printed circuit board assembly as claimed
in claim 1, wherein the plurality of first contact pads and the
plurality of second contact pads are respectively soldered to a
plurality of soldering terminals of a plugging member.
3. The stacked flexible printed circuit board assembly as claimed
in claim 1, wherein the first flexible printed circuit board and
the second flexible printed circuit board are each one of a
thin-film printed electronic flat cable, a flexible flat cable
(FFC), and a flexible printed circuit board (FPC).
4. The stacked flexible printed circuit board assembly as claimed
in claim 1, wherein: the first extension section of the first
flexible printed circuit board is subjected to slitting in the
extension direction to form a plurality slit lines; and the second
extension section of the second flexible printed circuit board is
subjected to slitting in the extension direction to form a
plurality slit lines.
5. (canceled)
6. The stacked flexible printed circuit board assembly as claimed
in claim 1, wherein the enclosure protection layer is selected from
one of heat-shrink tube and silicone rubber tube.
7. A stacked flexible printed circuit board, comprising: a first
flexible printed circuit board including a first plugging section
and a first extension section extending from the first plugging
section in a extension direction, the first plugging section
including a first bonding surface and a first exposed surface, the
first flexible printed circuit board being delimited with a first
outer side edge and a first inner side edge; a plurality of first
circuit traces, which is arranged in the extension direction on the
first extension section of the first flexible printed circuit
board; a plurality of first contact pads, which are arranged, in a
manner of being spaced from each other, on the first plugging
section of the first flexible printed circuit board and are located
on the first exposed surface and connected to the plurality of
first circuit traces; a second flexible printed circuit board
including a second plugging section and a second extension section
extending from the second plugging section in the extension
direction, the first extension section of the first flexible
printed circuit board and the second extension section of the
second flexible printed circuit board being stacked and enclosed
with an enclosure protection layer, the second plugging section
including a second bonding surface and a second exposed surface,
the second plugging section being a plugging terminal section
located adjacent to the second flexible printed circuit board, the
second flexible printed circuit board being delimited with a second
outer side edge and a second inner side edge; a plurality of second
circuit traces, which are arranged in the extension direction on
the second extension section of the second flexible printed circuit
board; a plurality of second contact pads, which are arranged, in a
manner of being spaced from each other, on the second plugging
section of the second flexible printed circuit board and are
located on the second exposed surface and connected to the
plurality of second circuit traces; a curved connection section
integrally connected to and between the first inner side edge of
the first flexible printed circuit board and the second inner side
edge of the second flexible printed circuit board, the first
bonding surface of the first flexible printed circuit board being
folded in a direction toward and stacked on the second bonding
surface of the second flexible printed circuit board so that the
curved connection section forms a curved continuous surface and the
plurality of first contact pads of the first flexible printed
circuit board respectively correspond to the plurality of second
contact pads of the second flexible printed circuit board; and an
adhesive layer, which is adhesively bonded between the first
bonding surface of the first flexible printed circuit board and the
second bonding surface of the second flexible printed circuit
board.
8. The stacked flexible printed circuit board assembly as claimed
in claim 7, wherein the plurality of first contact pads and the
plurality of second contact pads are respectively soldered to a
plurality of soldering terminals of a plugging member.
9. The stacked flexible printed circuit board assembly as claimed
in claim 7, wherein the first flexible printed circuit board and
the second flexible printed circuit board are each one of a
thin-film printed electronic flat cable, a flexible flat cable
(FFC), and a flexible printed circuit board (FPC).
10. The stacked flexible printed circuit board assembly as claimed
in claim 7, wherein: the first extension section of the first
flexible printed circuit board is subjected to slitting in the
extension direction to form a plurality slit lines; and the second
extension section of the second flexible printed circuit board is
subjected to slitting in the extension direction to form a
plurality slit lines.
11. (canceled)
12. The stacked flexible printed circuit board assembly as claimed
in claim 7, wherein the enclosure protection layer is selected from
one of heat-shrink tube and silicone rubber tube.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a flexible circuit board
assembly, and in particular to a stacked flexible printed circuit
board assembly with a side connection section.
2. The Related Arts
[0002] Being flexible, thin, and lightweight, flexible circuits
have been widely used in various fields of electronic products. To
make a plugging or connection structure that requires corresponding
electrical contacts on top and bottom sides, it is often to provide
a rigid circuit board as a substrate and to form a plurality of
contact pads on top and bottom surfaces of the circuit substrate.
However, due to inflexibility of the material, such a double-sided
circuit board is not applicable to contemporary electronic products
that are generally compact and lightweight. Further, due to the
thickness, the base plate of the circuit board is generally not
matching any plug structure.
[0003] Due to the flexibility of flexible circuits, using a regular
flexible circuit (such as a thin-film printed electronic flat
cable, a flexible flat cable, and a flexible printed circuit board)
as a connection or plugging structure often suffers insufficiency
of insertion and connection strength, so as not to suit current
market needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In view of the above problem, an objective of the present
invention is to provide a connection structure for a stacked
flexible printed circuit board assembly.
[0005] The technical solution adopted in the present invention to
achieve the above objective is that side edges of first and second
flexible printed circuit boards are connected to each other with a
curved connection section and the first flexible printed circuit
board is folded, with the curved connection section as a support
point, in a direction toward and thus stacked on the second
flexible printed circuit board such that a plurality of first
contact pads of the first flexible printed circuit board correspond
respectively to a plurality of second contact pads of the second
flexible printed circuit board to form a flexible circuit
connection structure including top and bottom contact pads. A
height adjustment layer or an adhesive layer is combined between
the first flexible printed circuit board and the second flexible
printed circuit board.
[0006] In efficacy, the present invention combines two flexible
printed circuit boards to stack on each other in a corresponding,
preferably aligned manner, with a curved connection section
connected therebetween to form a stacked flexible circuit
connection structure including top and bottom corresponding contact
pads, and a height adjustment layer is provided between the two
flexible printed circuit board to suit the need of thickness in
plugging or soldering. The present invention is particularly fit to
connection made with a plugging member that needs top and bottom
corresponding contact pads (such as a C-Type USB plugging
member).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in
the art by reading the following description of preferred
embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the
attached drawings, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a flexible printed
circuit board according to a first embodiment of the present
invention in a developed form;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of
FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the flexible printed
circuit board of FIG. 1 in a folded condition;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the flexible
printed circuit board of FIG. 1 in the folded condition;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of
FIG. 4;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the folded
flexible printed circuit board of FIG. 5 combined with a height
adjustment layer;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the folded
flexible printed circuit board of FIG. 4 combined with a height
adjustment layer;
[0015] FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a first extension
section of a first flexible printed circuit board and a second
extension section of a second flexible printed circuit board shown
in FIG. 7 in a stacked form that is enclosed by an enclosure
protection layer;
[0016] FIG. 9 shows the flexible printed circuit board in a
condition of being looped by a looping member;
[0017] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a first extension
section of a first flexible printed circuit board and a second
extension section of a second flexible printed circuit board shown
in FIG. 9 in a stacked and looped form that is enclosed by an
enclosure protection layer;
[0018] FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating contact pads of the
flexible printed circuit board in a folded form in a condition of
being just to solder to soldering terminals of a plugging
member;
[0019] FIG. 12 is a schematic view illustrating contact pads of the
flexible printed circuit board in a folded form in a condition of
being soldered to soldering terminals of a plugging member;
[0020] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a flexible
printed circuit board according to a second embodiment of the
present invention, in which an adhesive layer takes the place of
the height adjustment layer of the first embodiment;
[0021] FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the flexible
printed circuit board in a folded form combined with an adhesive
layer;
[0022] FIG. 15 is a perspective view illustrating a first extension
section of a first flexible printed circuit board and a second
extension section of a second flexible printed circuit board shown
in FIG. 14 in a stacked form that is enclosed by an enclosure
protection layer; and
[0023] FIG. 16 is a perspective view illustrating a first extension
section of a first flexible printed circuit board and a second
extension section of a second flexible printed circuit board shown
in FIG. 14 in a stacked and looped form that is enclosed by an
enclosure protection layer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic view is provided to
illustrate a flexible printed circuit board according to a first
embodiment of the present invention in a developed form; and FIG. 2
is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1. A
flexible printed circuit board 100 according to the present
invention comprises a first flexible printed circuit board 1, a
second flexible printed circuit board 2, and a curved connection
section 3 connected between side edges of the first flexible
printed circuit board 1 and the second flexible printed circuit
board 2. The first flexible printed circuit board 1 and the second
flexible printed circuit board 2 are each one of a thin-film
printed electronic flat cable, a flexible flat cable (FFC), and a
flexible printed circuit board (FPC).
[0025] The first flexible printed circuit board 1 comprises a first
plugging section 11 and a first extension section 12 extending from
the first plugging section 11 in a extension direction M1. The
first plugging section 11 comprises a first bonding surface 13 and
a first exposed surface 14. The first flexible printed circuit
board 1 delimited with a first outer side edge 15 and a first inner
side edge 16.
[0026] A plurality of first circuit traces 17 are arranged in the
extension direction M1 on the first extension section 12 of the
first flexible printed circuit board 1.
[0027] A plurality of first contact pads 18 are arranged, in a
manner of being spaced from each other, on the first plugging
section 11 of the first flexible printed circuit board 1 and are
located on the first exposed surface 14 and connected to the
plurality of first circuit traces 17.
[0028] The second flexible printed circuit board 2 comprises a
second plugging section 21 and a second extension section 22
extending from the second plugging section 21 in the extension
direction M1. The second plugging section 21 comprises a second
bonding surface 23 and a second exposed surface 24. The second
plugging section 21 is a plugging terminal section that is located
adjacent to the second flexible printed circuit board 2. The second
flexible printed circuit board 2 is delimited with a second outer
side edge 25 and a second inner side edge 26.
[0029] A plurality of second circuit traces 27 are arranged in the
extension direction M1 on the second extension section 22 of the
second flexible printed circuit board 2.
[0030] A plurality of second contact pads 28 are arranged, in a
manner of being spaced from each other, on the second plugging
section 21 of the second flexible printed circuit board 2 and are
located on the second exposed surface 24 and connected to the
plurality of second circuit traces 27.
[0031] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, these drawings show through
connection made with the curved connection section 3, the first
bonding surface 13 of the first flexible printed circuit board 1 is
folded in a direction toward and stacked on the second bonding
surface 23 of the second flexible printed circuit board 2 so that
the curved connection section 3 forms a curved continuous surface
31 and the plurality of first contact pads 18 of the first flexible
printed circuit board 1 are set to respectively correspond to the
plurality of second contact pads 28 of the second flexible printed
circuit board 2.
[0032] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the present invention further
comprises a height adjustment layer 4, which comprises a first
surface 41 and a second surface 42 and two lateral edges 43, 44 and
is combined between the first bonding surface 13 of the first
flexible printed circuit board 1 and the second bonding surface 23
of the second flexible printed circuit board 2. The first surface
41 and the second surface 42 of the height adjustment layer 4 can
be adhesively bonded, by means of for example adhesive materials
51, 52, to the first bonding surface 13 of the first flexible
printed circuit board 1 and the second bonding surface 23 of the
second flexible printed circuit board 2, respectively.
[0033] The curved connection section 3 is connected, in a manner of
being unitarily integrated, to and between the first inner side
edge 16 of the first flexible printed circuit board 1 and the
second inner side edge 26 of the second flexible printed circuit
board 2 so that the curved continuous surface 31 formed between the
first inner side edge 16 of the first flexible printed circuit
board 1 and the second inner side edge 26 of the second flexible
printed circuit board 2 covers one of the lateral edges 43 of the
height adjustment layer 4.
[0034] Referring to FIG. 8, a perspective view is provided to
illustrate the first extension section 12 of the first flexible
printed circuit board 1 and the second extension section 22 of the
second flexible printed circuit board 2 shown in FIG. 7, after
being stacked on each other, is further enclosed by an enclosure
protection layer 61 such that only the first plugging section 11
and the second plugging section 21 are exposed outside. The
enclosure protection layer 61 can be one of a heat-shrink tube made
of heat shrinkable material or a silicone rubber tube made of
silicone rubber material.
[0035] Referring to FIG. 9, the drawing shows the first extension
section 12 of the first flexible printed circuit board 1 and the
second extension section 22 of the second flexible printed circuit
board 2 are further looped with a looping member 62 to facilitate
passage through a narrow hole or a hinge hole.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 10, the drawing shows the first extension
section 12 of the first flexible printed circuit board 1 and the
second extension section 22 of the second flexible printed circuit
board 2 shown in FIG. 9, after being stacked and then looped, are
further enclosed with an enclosure protection layer 61 to have only
the first plugging section 11 and the second plugging section 21
exposed.
[0037] Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, these drawings show the first
contact pads 18 of the first flexible printed circuit board 1 and
the second contact pads 28 (not illustrated in these drawings) of
the second flexible printed circuit board 2 are respectively
soldered to a plurality of soldering terminals 71 of a plugging
member 7. The plugging member 7 can be a commercially available
C-Type USB plugging member or other types of plugging member.
[0038] FIG. 13 provides a cross-sectional view illustrating a
flexible printed circuit board according to a second embodiment of
the present invention, in which an adhesive layer is involved to
take the place of the height adjustment layer of the first
embodiment. FIG. 14 provides a perspective view illustrating the
flexible printed circuit board of the second embodiment, generally
designated at 200, in a folded form combined with an adhesive
layer. The instant embodiment comprises constituent components that
are most similar to the counterparts of the first embodiment and
similar parts are designated with the same reference for simplicity
and consistency. The instant embodiment similarly comprises a first
flexible printed circuit board 1, a second flexible printed circuit
board 2, and a curved connection section 3 connected to and between
side edges of the first flexible printed circuit board 1 and the
second flexible printed circuit board 2; however, in the instant
embodiment, an adhesive layer 8 is provided to replace the height
adjustment layer 4 of the first embodiment. The adhesive layer 8 is
adhesively bonded between the first bonding surface 13 of the first
flexible printed circuit board 1 and the second bonding surface 23
of the second flexible printed circuit board 2.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 15, the drawing illustrates the first
extension section 12 of the first flexible printed circuit board 1
and the second extension section 22 of the second flexible printed
circuit board 2 shown in FIG. 14, after being stacked, is enclosed
with an enclosure protection layer 61 with only the first plugging
section 11 and the second plugging section 21 exposed outside.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 16, the drawing illustrates the first
extension section 12 of the first flexible printed circuit board 1
and the second extension section 22 of the second flexible printed
circuit board 2 of FIG. 14, after being stacked and looped, is
enclosed with an enclosure protection layer 61 with only the first
plugging section 11 and the second plugging section 21 exposed
outside.
[0041] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to
those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and
changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention which is intended to be defined by the appended
claims.
* * * * *