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AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsLee Curtis Randall, Thomas Stanley Truman, Daniel James Winarski, George G. Zamora
Estimating the term…
A method for preforming of two or more flexible cables in an arrangement consisting of a combination of rigid printed circuit boards and flexible cable sections extending therebetween. Moreover, also provided is an apparatus for the preforming of two or more flexible cable sections of a combination of rigid printed circuit boards and therewith interposed flexible cable sections which are adapted to interconnect the rigid printed circuit boards. The apparatus consists of a tool constituted of an elongated cylindrical member having a tapered leading end which narrows into an ultra-thin flat end section of a blade-like configuration, and which is adapted to be pushed between the flexible cables and so as to preform the flexible cable sections and cause them to yield in a predetermined outwardly bowed permanently relationship between the rigid printed circuit boards at the opposite ends thereof to lengthen the fatigue life of the conductors in the flexible cable sections.
A method of deforming flexible cable sections extending between rigid printed circuit boards which are foldable into specific angular positions relative to each other, said method comprising:
An apparatus for deforming flexible cable sections extending between rigid printed circuit board which are foldable into specific angular positions relative to each other, including a first and second flexible cable section in close parallel relationship;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Backward citations are indexed for grants only.
Hand tools, specially adapted for fitting together or separating parts or objects
For flexible printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables or like structures: connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of
Bendability or stretchability details: bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits
Term end not estimated
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for preforming of two or more integrated connectorless flexible cables in flexible sections of a rigid-flex printed circuit board consisting of a combination of rigid printed circuit board sections and flexible printed circuit board sections extending therebetween. Moreover, the invention is also directed to an apparatus for the preforming of two or more integrated connectorless flexible cables in flexible sections of a rigid-flex printed circuit board consisting of a combination of rigid printed circuit board sections and therewith interposed flexible printed circuit board sections which are adapted to interconnect the rigid printed circuit board sections.
In the electronic packaging industry, there are provided operatively joined wherein pluralities of rigid printed circuit board (PCB) sections which are essentially interconnected through the intermediary of flexible printed circuit board sections. In the case of numerous physical instances and applications, these combinations of rigid printed circuit board sections and flexible printed circuit board sections, referred to as rigid-flex printed circuit boards, are employed in order to solve three-dimensional space problems, reduce electrical noise by eliminating connectors and reducing the overall area of the printed circuit board. Basically, the flexible printed circuit board sections enable the therewith joined rigid printed circuit board sections to be folded and unfolded relative to each other through predetermined angular displacements, normally, although not necessarily angled, in 90° segments, 180° segments, or any arbitrary angle greater than 0° up to 180°, in order to form a three-dimensional printed circuit board structure.
Reference may now be made to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1A illustrates, generally diagrammatically, a top view of a pair of rigid printed circuit board sections which are interconnected by means of a flexible printed circuit board section;
FIG. 1B illustrates, generally diagrammatically a cross-sectional view of a pair of rigid printed circuit board sections which are interconnected by means of a flexible printed circuit board section comprising a pair of integrated connectorless flexible cable sections extending in parallel spaced relationship between the rigid printed circuit board sections;
Referring now specifically to FIGS. 1A and 1B of the drawings, there is illustrated a rigid-flex printed circuit board 13 comprised of a first rigid printed circuit board section 10, and with a second rigid printed circuit board section 12 interconnected therewith through a flexible printed circuit board 11.
In FIG. 1A, rigid printed circuit board section 10 has electrical components 80, 81, and 82 surface mounted to it. Rigid printed circuit board section 12 has electrical components 83 and 84 surface mounted to it. Electrical components 80, 81, 82, 83 and 84 are typically semiconductor chips such as microprocessors read-only memory (ROM) chips containing microcode used by microprocessors chips, or random-access memory (RAM) chips for buffering input to or output from the microprocessor chips. Because of the delicate nature of electrical components 80, 81, 82, 83, and 84, they are mounted to rigid printed circuit board sections 10 and 12.
FIG. 1B illustrates that a first rigid core of rigid printed circuit board 10 is comprised of cover layer 45 and cover layer 46 with conductive layer 21 sandwiched therebetween. A first rigid core of rigid printed circuit board 12 is comprised of a cover layer 41 and cover layer 42 with conductive layer 17 sandwiched therebetween. A second rigid core of rigid printed circuit board 10 is comprised of a cover layer 47 and cover layer 48 with conductive layer 22 sandwiched therebetween. A second rigid core of rigid printed circuit board 12 is comprised of cover layer 43 and cover layer 44 with conductive layer 19 sandwiched therebetween.