Flexible printed circuit board terminal structure

• US 4,815,981 A
• Filed: 07/15/1987
• Issued: 03/28/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Teikoku Tsushin Kogyo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Teikoku Tsushin Kogyo Company Limited
• Inventors: Mizuno, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Weidenfeld, Gil
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Application Number:
  US07/073,826
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 439/77, 439/83-85, 439/874, 439/876, 439/932, 439/936
• US Class Current: 439/77
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/777 Coupling parts carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts H01R12/78, H01R12/79 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/04 using electrically conductive adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/0207 Ultrasonic-, H.F.-, cold- or impact welding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0129 Thermoplastic polymer, e.g. auto-adhesive layer; Shaping of thermoplastic polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/1034 Edge terminals, i.e. separate pieces of metal attached to the edge of the printed circuit board [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10977 Encapsulated connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/202 using self-supporting metal foil pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/281 by means of a preformed insulating foil H05K3/284 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/321 by conductive adhesives

Abstract

A flexible printed circuit board terminal structure includes a flexible printed circuit board composed of electrically conductive patterns formed on a flexible insulative film of a thermoplastic synthetic resin by the screen-printing of an electrically conductive coating, and an insulative coating of synthetic resin disposed on the insulative film on a portion thereof except for a terminal section defined at one edge. Metallic terminal members are placed on the electrically conductive patterns at the printed circuit board terminal section directly or through the intermediary of an electrically conductive adhesive, a terminal fixing film made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin having the same properties as the thermoplastic insulative film is placed on the terminal section from above the metallic terminal members, and predetermined portions of the thermoplastic insulative film and terminal fixing film, with the exception of portions at which the metallic terminal members are situated, are thermally fused.

Claims

1. A terminal structure comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board including an electrically insulative film on which a terminal area is defined at one portion thereof and a predetermined area is defined at another portion thereof adjacent said terminal portion, and an electric conductor pattern disposed on said film at said terminal area and at said predetermined area,

said electrically insulative film comprising thermoplastic synthetic resin and said electric conductor pattern comprising solidified electrically conductive paste;

an electrically insulative coating comprising a synthetic resin disposed on said electrically insulative film covering only the portion of the electric conductor pattern disposed at said predetermined area;

metallic terminal members disposed over respective portions of said electric conductor pattern at said terminal area, said metallic terminal members also extending a predetermined distance from said terminal area;

a terminal fixing film comprising an electrically insulative thermoplastic synthetic resin disposed at said terminal area over said metallic terminal members, said terminal fixing film fixing said metallic terminal members relative to said printed circuit board and over said respective portions of said electric conductor pattern; and

fusion bonded portions at which said terminal fixing film is fusion bonded to said electrically insulative film of said printed circuit board being located at said terminal area adjacent locations at which said metallic terminal members are disposed over the respective portions said, electric conductor pattern.

2. A terminal structure as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a hot-melt type electrically conductive adhesive is disposed between the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern and said metallic terminal members, said electrically conductive adhesive fixing and operatively electrically connecting said metallic terminal members to the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern.

3. A terminal structure as claimed in claim 1,

wherein each of said metallic terminal members has opposite edge portions defined thereon within said terminal area, and at least one projection extending from at least one of said edge portions thereof.

4. A terminal structure as claimed in claim 3

wherein a hot-melt type electrically conductive adhesive is disposed between the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern and said metallic terminal members, said electrically conductive adhesive fixing and operatively electrically connecting said metallic terminal members to the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern.

5. A terminal structure comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board including an electrically insulative film on which a terminal area is defined at one portion thereof and a predetermined area is defined at another portion thereof adjacent said terminal portion, and an electric conductor pattern disposed on said film at said terminal area and at said predetermined area,

said electrically insulative film comprising a thermoplastic synthetic resin of polyester and said electrical conductor pattern comprises solidified electrically conductive paste;

an electrically insulative coating comprising a synthetic resin disposed on said electrically insulative film covering only the portion of the electric conductor pattern disposed at said predetermined area;

metallic terminal members disposed over respective portions of said electric conductor pattern at said terminal area, said metallic terminal members also extending a predetermined distance from said terminal area; and

a terminal fixing film comprising thermoplastic polyester disposed at said terminal area over said metallic terminal members, said terminal fixing film fixing said metallic terminal members relative to said printed circuit board and over said respective portions of said electric conductor pattern; and

fusion bonded portions at which said terminal fixing film is fusion bonded to said electrically insulative film of said printed circuit board being located at said terminal area adjacent locations at which said metallic terminal members are disposed over the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern.

6. A terminal structure as claimed in claim 5,

wherein a hot-melt type electrically conductive adhesive is disposed between the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern and said metallic terminal members, said electrically conductive adhesive fixing and operatively electrically connecting said metallic terminal members to the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern.

7. A terminal structure as claimed in claim 5,

wherein each of said metallic terminal members has opposite edge portions defined thereon within said terminal area, and at least one projection extending from at least one of said edge portions thereof.

8. A terminal structure as claimed in claim 7,

wherein a hot-melt type electrically conductive adhesive is disposed between the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern and said metallic terminal members, said electrically conductive adhesive fixing and operatively electrically connecting said metallic terminal members to the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern.

9. A terminal structure comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board including an a thermoplastic synthetic resin film of polyester on which a terminal area is defined at one portion thereof and a predetermined area is defined at another portion thereof adjacent said terminal portion, and an electric conductor pattern disposed on said film at said terminal area and at said predetermined area,

said electric conductor portion comprising solidified electrically conductive paste;

an electrically insulative coating comprising a synthetic resin disposed on said film covering only the portion of the electric conductor pattern disposed at said predetermined area;

metallic terminal members disposed over respective portions of said electric conductor pattern at said terminal area, said metallic terminal members also extending a predetermined distance from said terminal area;

a terminal fixing film comprising a thermoplastic synthetic resin of polyester disposed at said terminal area over said metallic terminal members, said terminal fixing film fixing said metallic terminal members relative to said printed circuit board and over said respective portions of said electric conductor pattern;

fusion bonded portions at which said terminal fixing film is fusion bonded to said polyester film of said printed circuit board being located at said terminal area adjacent locations at which said metallic terminal members are disposed over the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern; and

a hot-melt type electrically conductive adhesive disposed between the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern and said metallic terminal members, said electrically conductive adhesive fixing and operatively electrically connecting said metallic terminal members to the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern.

10. A terminal structure as claimed in claim 9,

wherein each of said metallic terminal members has opposite edge portions defined thereon within said terminal area, and at least one projection extending from at least one of said edge portions thereof.

11. A terminal structure comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board including a film at which a terminal area is defined on one portion thereof and a predetermined area is defined at another portion thereof adjacent said terminal area, and an electric conductor pattern disposed on said film at said terminal area and at said predetermined area;

said electrically insulative film comprising a thermoplastic synthetic resin of polyester, and said electric conductor pattern comprising solidified electrically conductive paste;

an electrically insulating coating comprising synthetic resin disposed on said film covering only the portion of said electric conductor pattern disposed at said predetermined area;

metallic terminal members disposed over respective portions of said electric conductor pattern at said terminal area, said metallic terminal members also extending a predetermined distance from said terminal area;

a terminal fixing film comprising a thermoplastic film of polyester disposed at said terminal area over said metallic terminal members, said terminal fixing film fixing said metallic terminal members relative to said printed circuit board and over said respective portions of said electric conductor pattern;

fusion bonded portions at which said terminal fixing film is fusion bonded to said film of said printed circuit board being located at said terminal area between locations at which said metallic terminal members are disposed over the respective portions of said electric conductor portions and at outermost edge portions of said terminal area; and

a hot-melt type electrically conductive adhesive disposed between the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern and said metallic terminal members, said electrically conductive adhesive fixing and operatively electrically connecting said metallic terminal members to the respective portions of said electric conductor pattern.

12. A terminal structure as claimed in claim 11,

wherein each of said metallic terminal members has opposite edge portions defined thereon within said terminal area, and at least one projection extending from at least one of said edge portions thereof.