# US 9,040,835 B2 · Attenuation reduction grounding structure for differential-mode signal transmission lines of flexible circuit board > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,040,835 B2 - Document ID: US9040835B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/108,790 - Filed: 2013-12-17 - Published: 2014-12-25 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-19 - Assignees: Advanced Flexible Circuits Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Advanced Flexible Circuits Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Gwun-Jin Lin; Kuo-Fu Su; Chih-Heng Chuo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040835B2 ## CPC - H05K 1/0245: {Lay-out of balanced signal pairs, e.g. differential lines or twisted lines} - H05K 1/0225: {Single or multiple openings in a shielding, ground or power plane (H05K1/0227 takes precedence)} - H05K 1/118: {specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions} - H05K 3/4069: {for via connections in organic insulating substrates} - H05K 2201/09845: Stepped hole, via, edge, bump or conductor - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract An attenuation reduction grounding structure of differential-mode signal transmission lines of a flexible circuit board includes a flexible substrate on which at least one pair of differential-mode signal lines, at least one grounding line, a covering insulation layer, and a thin metal foil layer are formed. At least one via hole extends through the thin metal foil layer and the covering insulation layer and corresponds to a conductive contact zone of the grounding line. The via hole is filled with a conductive paste layer to electrically connect the thin metal foil layer to the conductive contact zone of the grounding line to provide an excellent grounding arrangement. The thin metal foil layer includes a plurality of openings formed at locations corresponding to top angles of the differential-mode signal lines. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flexible circuit board with an attenuation reduction grounding structure for differential-mode signal transmission lines of the flexible circuit board, comprising: a flexible substrate, which extends in an extension direction and comprises a first surface and a second surface, the flexible substrate comprising at least one connection section and an extension section connected to the connection section; at least one pair of differential-mode signal lines, which are formed on the first surface of the flexible substrate to be adjacent to each other and isolated from each other, each of the differential-mode signal lines having a pairs of top angles; at least one grounding line, which is formed on the first surface of the substrate and isolated from the differential-mode signal lines, the grounding line comprising a conductive contact zone formed on at least one selected location of a surface of the connection section; a covering insulation layer, which is formed to cover the first surface of the substrate, the pair of differential-mode signal lines, and the grounding line; a thin metal foil layer, which is bonded to a surface of the covering insulation layer and electrically connected to the conductive contact zone of the grounding line, the thin metal foil layer comprises a plurality of openings formed at locations corresponding to the pairs of top angles of the differential-mode signal lines respectively; and; at least one via hole, which is formed in the connection section of the flexible substrate, the via hole extending through the thin metal foil layer and the covering insulation layer and corresponding to the conductive contact zone of the grounding line. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flexible circuit board as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thin metal foil layer is made of a thin metal foil material selected from one of a copper foil, an aluminum foil, and a nickel foil. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The flexible circuit board as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thin metal foil layer is bonded by a bonding material layer to the surface of the covering insulation layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The flexible circuit board as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a conductive paste layer filled in the via hole to electrically connect the thin metal foil layer to the conductive contact zone of the grounding line. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The flexible circuit board as claimed in claim 4, wherein the conductive paste layer is made of a silver paste and the conductive paste layer is filled in the via hole in a liquid form and is then cured to form the conductive paste layer in the via hole. ### Claim 6 A flexible circuit board with an attenuation reduction grounding structure for differential-mode signal transmission lines of the flexible circuit board, comprising: a flexible substrate, which extends in an extension direction and comprises a first surface and a second surface, the flexible substrate comprising at least one connection section and an extension section connected to the connection section; at least one pair of differential-mode signal lines, which are formed on the first surface of the flexible substrate to be adjacent to each other and isolated from each other, each of the differential-mode signal lines having a pairs of top angles; at least one grounding line, which is formed on the first surface of the substrate and isolated from the differential-mode signal lines, the grounding line comprising a conductive contact zone formed on at least one selected location of a surface of the extension section; a covering insulation layer, which is formed to cover the first surface of the substrate, the pair of differential-mode signal lines, and the grounding line; a thin metal foil layer, which is bonded to a surface of the covering insulation layer and electrically connected to the conductive contact zone of the grounding line, the thin metal foil layer comprises a plurality of openings formed at locations corresponding to the pairs of top angles of the differential-mode signal lines respectively; and at least one via hole, which is formed in the extension section of the flexible substrate, the via hole extending through the thin metal foil layer and the covering insulation layer and corresponding to the conductive contact zone of the grounding line, the extension section comprising a plurality of slit lines formed by cutting in the extension direction to define a plurality of cluster lines. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The flexible circuit board as claimed in claim 6, wherein the thin metal foil layer is made of a thin metal foil material selected from one of a copper foil, an aluminum foil, and a nickel foil. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The flexible circuit board as claimed in claim 6, wherein the thin metal foil layer is bonded by a bonding material layer to the surface of the covering insulation layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The flexible circuit board as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a conductive paste layer filled in the via hole to electrically connect the thin metal foil layer to the conductive contact zone of the grounding line. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The flexible circuit board as claimed in claim 9, wherein the conductive paste layer is made of a silver paste and the conductive paste layer is filled in the via hole in a liquid form and is then cured to form the conductive paste layer in the via hole.