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US 4,788,404 AGranted
Self-soldering flexible circuit connector
AssigneeMetcal, Inc.
InventorHarold B. Kent
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible circuit which may be a strap or a board or the like has a plurality of conductors exposed on one surface in a predetermined array and a heater disposed on the opposed surface so as to heat the exposed conductors. The exposed conductors may have solder or the heat activated conductive bonding material applied thereto so that the flexible circuit may be directly connected to a component, a printed circuit board, a connector or the like. If a reusable bonding material, such as solder, is employed the heater may be utilized to both connect and disconnect the flexible circuit.
Claims31
In combination
- a flexible circuit having at least one conductor disposed in and surrounded by insulating material covering said conductor,
- said material having large opposed surfaces,
- a heater disposed along and in contact with one of said surfaces to heat a limited region of said conductor,
- said at least one conductor having the insulating material removed along the other of said opposed surfaces opposite the limited region of said conductor to be heated,
- said heater including means for connection to a source of energy.
2 more elements
A connection arrangement comprising
- a flexible circuit having a plurality of flexible conductors disposed in and surrounded by flexible insulating material covering said conductors.
- said insulating material having large opposed surfaces,
- a heater disposed along and in contact with one of said surfaces to heat a limited region of some of said conductors,
- some of said conductors having the insulating material removed along the other of said opposed surfaces to expose said limited region of some of said conductors in a specific array,
- said heater including means for connection to a source of energy,
- said heater fixed in position relative to said flexible circuit to heat said limited regions,
- a connector having an opening permitting insertion of an electrical circuit between and in contact with said limited region of at least one of said conductors, and
- means causing terminals on the electrical circuit to be aligned with said at least limited region of at least one of the exposed conductors of said flexible circuit.
5 more elements
A connection arrangement comprising
- a flexible circuit having a plurality of flexible conductors disposed in and surrounded by flexible insulating material covering said conductors,
- said insulating material having large opposed surfaces,
- a heater disposed along and in contact with one of said surfaces to heat a limited region of some of said conductors,
- some of said conductors having the insulating material removed along the other of said opposed surfaces to expose said limited region of some of said conductors in a specific array,
- said heater including means for connection to a source of energy,
- said heater fixed in position relative to said flexible circuit to heat said limited regions,
- a circuit component having contacts disposed in a predetermined array corresponding at least in part to the specific array of said limited regions, and in contact with exposed limited regions of said conductors, and
- said arrays being bonded one to the other.
5 more elements
A flexible circuit with heater comprising
- a generally rectangular flexible circuit having conductors,
- a flat narrow heater strip formed to define the four sides of a generally rectangular shape, and employed to heat conductors of said flexible circuit,
- said flexible circuit folded over said heater such that the corners of said flexible circuit all approach each other on one side of said heater.
A circuit array comprising
- a flexible circuit having a plurality of conductors disposed in and surrounded by insulating material covering said conductors,
- at least one said conductors having the insulating material removed therefrom to expose a region of said conductor,
- a block of insulating material having top and bottom surfaces and edge surfaces,
- at least one edge surface of said block having a further conductor extending thereon between said top and bottom surfaces,
- a circuit member having an electrical contact bonded to said further conductor, and
- said exposed region of said one of said conductors of said flexible circuit being bonded to said further conductor at a location remote from said circuit member.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.