Bundled flexible flat circuit cable

• US 8,872,032 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Flexible Circuits Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Flexible Circuits Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lin, Gwun-Jin, Chuo, Chih-Heng, Su, Kuo-Fu
• Primary Examiner(s): Semenenko, Yuriy
• Application Number:
  US13/602,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20120325527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 174/36, 174/110.R, 174/117.F, 174/117.FF, 174/133.R, 174262-268, 361749-752, 361/777, 361/780, 439/67, 439/77, 439/86, 439493-502
• US Class Current: 174/117.F
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/0892 incorporated in a cable of non-flat configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0218 by printed shielding conductors, ground planes or power plane H05K1/0236 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/028 Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits H05K1/0283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/148 Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/051 Rolled
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/055 Folded back on itself

Abstract

A bundled flexible flat circuit cable includes a flexible substrate that forms at least one cluster section having an end forming at least one first connection section and an opposite end forming at least one second connection section. Both the first and second connection sections or one of the first and second connection sections form a stack structure. The flexible substrate can be of a structure of single-sided or double-sided substrate and may additionally include an electromagnetic shielding layer. A bundling structure is provided to bundle the cluster section at a predetermined location to form a bundled structure. The bundling structure can be made of a shielding material, an insulation material, or a combination of shielding material and insulation material.

Claims

1. A bundled flexible flat circuit cable, comprising:

a flexible substrate, which extends in an extension direction and has a first surface and a second surface;

a first conductive layer, which is formed on the first surface of the flexible substrate;

at least a first connection section, which is formed on an end of the flexible substrate;

at least a second connection section, which is formed on an opposite end of the flexible substrate that is opposite to the first connection section, said first and second connection sections, each defining a pair of tab members extending in a direction normal to said extension direction and positioned in overlying relation each to the other to expose an electrically conductive element;

at least a cluster section, which connects between the first connection section and the second connection section and comprises a plurality of cluster strips that are formed by slitting the flexible substrate in the extension direction;

a first insulation layer, which is formed on the first conductive layer; and

at least a bundling structure, which bundles the cluster section at a predetermined location to wrap the cluster strips of the cluster section together to form a bundled structure, the bundling structure comprising an electromagnetic shielding layer wrapping around the cluster section;

wherein the bundling structure further comprises an outer insulation layer wrapping around the electromagnetic shielding layer.

2. The bundled flexible flat circuit cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first connection section having said electrically conductive element, said electrically conductive element comprises one of a terminal plug and a connection socket formed thereon, said terminal plug extending from one of said tab members.

3. The bundled flexible flat circuit cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second connection section having said electrically conductive element, said electrically conductive element comprises one of a terminal plug and a connection socket formed thereon, said terminal plug extending from one of said tab members.

4. The bundled flexible flat circuit cable as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an electromagnetic shielding layer on the first insulation layer of the flexible substrate.

5. The bundled flexible flat circuit cable as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a second conductive layer, which is formed on the second surface of the flexible substrate; and

a second insulation layer, which is formed on the second conductive layer.

6. The bundled flexible flat circuit cable as claimed in claim 5, further comprising an electromagnetic shielding layer on at least one of the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer.

7. The bundled flexible flat circuit cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bundling structure further comprises an inner insulation layer between the cluster section and the electromagnetic shielding layer.