TECHNIQUE FOR REDUCING WASTED MATERIAL ON A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD PANEL
First Claim
1. A method for assembling a rigid-flex printed circuit board (PCB), comprising:
- receiving at least two rigid-flex PCB that are to be coupled together, wherein a rigid-flex PCB includes at least one flexible PCB coupled to at least one rigid PCB;
placing the at least two rigid-flex PCBs onto a carrier which is configured to;
align the at least two rigid-flex PCBs so that bond regions located on the flexible PCBs overlap with bond regions located on corresponding flexible PCBs, andapply pressure to the overlapped bond regions;
placing components at the specified locations on the at least two rigid-flex PCBs; and
sending the carrier through a reflow oven which is configured to generate a temperature profile that reflows solder on the at least two rigid-flex PCBs so that the components become mechanically and electrically coupled to the at least two rigid-flex PCBs;
wherein the temperature profile generated by the reflow oven and the pressure applied by the carrier cures and sets an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) located in the bond regions so that the overlapped flexible PCBs become mechanically and electrically coupled together.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process for assembling a rigid-flex printed circuit board (PCB) is presented. During operation, the process receives rigid-flex PCBs that are to be coupled together, wherein a rigid-flex PCB includes flexible PCBs coupled to rigid PCBs. The process then places the PCBs onto a carrier which is configured to: align the PCBs so that bond regions located on the flexible PCBs overlap with bond regions located on corresponding flexible PCBs, and apply pressure to the overlapped bond regions. The process then sends the carrier through a reflow oven which reflows solder on the PCBs so that the components become mechanically and electrically coupled to the PCBs. The temperature profile generated by the reflow oven and the pressure applied by the carrier cures and sets an anisotropic conductive film located in the bond regions so that the overlapped flexible PCBs become mechanically and electrically coupled together.
30 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for assembling a rigid-flex printed circuit board (PCB), comprising:
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receiving at least two rigid-flex PCB that are to be coupled together, wherein a rigid-flex PCB includes at least one flexible PCB coupled to at least one rigid PCB; placing the at least two rigid-flex PCBs onto a carrier which is configured to; align the at least two rigid-flex PCBs so that bond regions located on the flexible PCBs overlap with bond regions located on corresponding flexible PCBs, and apply pressure to the overlapped bond regions; placing components at the specified locations on the at least two rigid-flex PCBs; and sending the carrier through a reflow oven which is configured to generate a temperature profile that reflows solder on the at least two rigid-flex PCBs so that the components become mechanically and electrically coupled to the at least two rigid-flex PCBs; wherein the temperature profile generated by the reflow oven and the pressure applied by the carrier cures and sets an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) located in the bond regions so that the overlapped flexible PCBs become mechanically and electrically coupled together. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for manufacturing a rigid-flex printed circuit board (PCB) design, comprising:
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receiving the rigid-flex PCB design which includes layouts for at least two rigid PCBs which are coupled to each other by flexible PCBs; determining a placement for the rigid-flex PCB design that substantially minimizes wasted space on a PCB panel, wherein determining the placement for the rigid-flex PCB design involves determining locations on the layouts for the flexible PCBs which can be severed so that the layouts for the at least two rigid PCBs are no longer coupled to each other; severing the layouts for the PCBs at the determined locations on the flexible PCBs; and arranging the layouts for the severed PCBs on the PCB panel so that the layouts substantially minimize wasted space on the PCB panel. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A carrier for assembling a rigid-flex printed circuit board (PCB), comprising:
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a substrate which is configured to hold one or more rigid-flex PCBs during a solder reflow process, wherein a rigid-flex PCB includes at least one flexible PCB coupled to at least one rigid PCB, wherein the flexible PCBs include a bond region; an alignment mechanism configured to align bond regions on flexible PCBs which are to be coupled together; and a pressure-applying mechanism configured to apply pressure to the bond regions. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for assembling a rigid-flex printed circuit board (PCB), comprising:
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aligning at least two rigid-flex PCBs that are to be coupled together so that bond regions on the at least two rigid-flex PCBs are overlapped with each other; and applying heat and pressure to the overlapped bond regions during a solder reflow process so that the at least two rigid-flex PCBs are couple to each other, wherein during the solder reflow process, components located on the at least two rigid-flex PCBs are also coupled to the at least two rigid-flex PCBs.
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Specification