Optical device, optical connector, electronic device, and electronic equipment

• US 20070196044A1
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nagura, Kazuhito
• Granted Patent: US 7,474,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/14
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/167 comprising optoelectronic devices, e.g. LED, photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1815 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02325 the optical elements not being integrated nor being directly associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/12 structurally associated with, e.g. formed in or on a common substrate with, one or more electric light sources, e.g. electroluminescent light sources, and electrically or optically coupled thereto semiconductor devices with at least one potential barrier or surface barrier adapted for light emission H01L33/00; amplifiers using electroluminescent element and photocell H03F17/00; electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00

Abstract

A light-emitting element (2) and a light-receiving element (3) are mounted, spaced from each other, on a main body (1a) of a flexible board (1). These elements (2, 3) are encapsulated in a light-permeable light-emitting side molded resin section (6a, 6b) and a light-permeable light-receiving side molded resin section (6c, 6d), respectively. Positions of the light-emitting element (2) and light-receiving element (3) and orientations of a light-emitting surface of the light-emitting element (2) and a light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element (3) are freely settable owing to flexibility of the flexible board (1). A communication IC (4) is mounted on the flexible board (1) and between the elements (2, 3) and encapsulated in an IC side molded resin section (6e, 6f). An extended portion (1b) extends from a midsection of the main body (1a) of the flexible board (1) and has an external connection terminal (11) at its tip.

Claims

1. An optical device comprising:

a flexible board;

a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element which are mounted, spaced from each other, on the flexible board;

a light-permeable light-emitting side molded resin section in which the light-emitting element is encapsulated; and

a light-permeable light-receiving side molded resin section in which the light-receiving element is encapsulated, wherein

the light-emitting side molded resin section and the light-receiving side molded resin section are disposed apart such that the optical device is flexible between the light-emitting side molded resin section and the light-receiving side molded resin section.

2. The optical device as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a control integrated circuit mounted on the flexible board and between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving circuit; and

an integrated circuit side molded resin section in which the control integrated circuit is encapsulated, wherein

the integrated circuit side molded resin section is disposed apart from the light-emitting side molded resin section and the light-receiving side molded resin section such that the optical device is flexible between the molded resin sections.

3. The optical device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the flexible board has a main body on which the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are disposed at opposite sides, and an extended portion which extends from roughly a midsection of the main body and which has an external connection terminal at a tip thereof.

4. The optical device as set forth in claim 3, wherein

the extended portion of the flexible board is bent in a direction roughly parallel to a line connecting the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element.

5. The optical device as set forth in claim 3, wherein

a notch is provided between the main body and the extended portion of the flexible board.

6. The optical device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

a light-permeable molding resin used for the light-emitting side molded resin section and the light-receiving molded resin section is a thermosetting resin.

7. The optical device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

a lens is integrally formed on each of the light-emitting side molded resin section and the light-receiving side molded resin section.

8. The optical device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

at least one of a capacitive element, a resistive element, and a crystal oscillator is mounted between the molded resin sections of the flexible board.

9. The optical device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the flexible board is mounted with a semiconductor chip in which a photodiode, which is the light-receiving element, and a circuit for processing a signal from the photodiode are integrated.

15. The optical device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the flexible board has a flexible base, a first wiring pattern provided on one surface side of the base, and a second wiring pattern provided on another surface side opposite to the one surface side of the base;

the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are mounted on one surface of the flexible board, and are electrically connected with the first wiring pattern;

the light-emitting side molded resin section and the light-receiving side molded resin section have first encapsulation members which are provided on one surface of the flexible board to encapsulate the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element, respectively, and have second encapsulation members which are provided on another surface opposite to the one surface of the flexible board to seal at least areas opposite to the light-emitting element and light-receiving element, respectively;

an outer circumference of the first encapsulation member and an area near the outer circumference have no first wiring pattern on the one surface of the flexible board, and have no first wiring pattern between the one surface of the flexible board and the base; and

an outer circumference of the second encapsulation member and an area near the outer circumference have no second wiring pattern on the other surface of the flexible board, and have no second wiring pattern between the other surface of the flexible board and the base.

16. The optical device as set forth in claim 15, wherein

the first wiring pattern that is encapsulated in the first encapsulation member is connected with the second wiring pattern that is not encapsulated in the second encapsulation member via a through-hole.

17. The optical device as set forth in claim 15, wherein

the first and second encapsulation members are each provided with a radius at their respective peripheries.

18. The optical device as set forth in claim 15, wherein

reinforcements are provided between each of peripheries of the first and second encapsulation members and the flexible board.

19. The optical device as set forth in claim 15, wherein

the first and second encapsulation members are connected with each other via a molding resin filled in a through-hole provided in the flexible board.

10. An optical connector comprising an optical device, said optical device comprising:

a flexible board;

a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element which are mounted, spaced from each other, on the flexible board;

a light-permeable light-emitting side molded resin section in which the light-emitting element is encapsulated; and

a light-permeable light-receiving side molded resin section in which the light-receiving element is encapsulated, wherein

the light-emitting side molded resin section and the light-receiving side molded resin section are disposed apart such that the optical device is flexible between the light-emitting side molded resin section and the light-receiving side molded resin section.

11. The optical connector as set forth in claim 10, wherein the flexible board has a main body on which the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are disposed at opposite sides, and an extended portion which extends from roughly a midsection of the main body and which has an external connection terminal at a tip thereof, the optical connector further comprising:

a housing in which at least a the main body of the flexible board of the optical device is accommodated, wherein

the main body of the flexible board is disposed in the housing while being kept planar.

12. The optical connector as set forth in claim 10, wherein the flexible board has a main body on which the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element are disposed at opposite sides, and an extended portion which extends from roughly a midsection of the main body and which has an external connection terminal at a tip thereof, the optical connector further comprising:

a housing in which at least a the main body of the flexible board of the optical device is accommodated, wherein

the main body of the flexible board is disposed in the housing in such a manner that one side of the housing on which the light-emitting element is mounted and the other side of the housing on which the light-receiving element is mounted are turned back toward a center of the main body, and that a light-emitting surface of the light-emitting element and a light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element face outwardly in one direction.

13. The optical connector as set forth in claim 11, wherein

the extended portion of the flexible board of the optical device is bent so as to be generally square to the main body.

14. Electronic equipment comprising the optical connector as set forth in claim 10.

28. The optical connector as set forth in claim 12, wherein

the extended portion of the flexible board of the optical device is bent so as to be generally square to the main body.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a flexible board having a flexible base, a first wiring pattern provided on one surface side of the base, and a second wiring pattern provided on another surface side opposite to the one surface side of the base;

an electronic component which is mounted on one surface of the flexible board and is electrically connected with the first wiring pattern;

a first molded resin section which is provided on one surface of the flexible board to encapsulate the electronic component therein; and

a second molded resin section which is provided on another surface opposite to the one surface of the flexible board to seal at least an area opposite to the electronic component, wherein

an outer circumference of the first molded resin section and an area near the outer circumference have no first wiring pattern on the one surface of the flexible board, and have no first wiring pattern between the one surface of the flexible board and the base; and

an outer circumference of the second molded resin section and an area near the outer circumference have no second wiring pattern on the other surface of the flexible board, and have no second wiring pattern between the other surface of the flexible board and the base.

21. The electronic device as set forth in claim 20, wherein

part of the first wiring pattern, which part is encapsulated in the first molded resin section, is connected via a through-hole with part of the second wiring pattern, which part is not encapsulated in the second molded resin section.

22. The electronic device as set forth in claim 20, wherein

the first and second molded resin sections are each provided with a radius at their respective peripheries.

23. The electronic device as set forth in claim 20, wherein

reinforcements are provided between each of peripheries of the first and second molded resin sections and the flexible board.

24. The electronic device as set forth in claim 20, wherein:

the electronic component encapsulated in the first molded resin section is an optical semiconductor element or an integrated circuit including an optical semiconductor element; and

the first molded resin section is made of a light-permeable resin and integrally formed with a lens.

25. The electronic device as set forth in claim 20, wherein

a resin used for the first and second molded resin sections is a thermosetting resin.

26. The electronic device as set forth in claim 20, wherein

the first and second molded resin sections are connected with each other via a resin filled in a through-hole provided in the flexible board.

27. Electronic equipment comprising the electronic device as set forth in claim 20.