Molded electronic component and method of making the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a molded electronic component, comprising: a flexible molded film, comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a connection line structure prepared as a connection line, an electronic circuit layer being formed on the first surface, the flexible molded film being combined with injected molding material through a molding electronic process to form the molded electronic component, wherein a separation layer is attached to the second surface corresponding to the position of the connection line structure before the molding electronic process is performed, and is removed from the second surface or remains after the molding electronic process is completed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a molded electronic component and its manufacturing method, and more particularly to an electronic component and its manufacturing method having an isolation layer structure to isolate the output cable from the plastic part during the molding process, thereby avoiding their bonding and simplifying the mold and preventing the output cable from having a folded structure. Background Technology

[0002] Existing In-Mold Electronics (IME) technology can be seen as a combination of traditional In-Mold Decoration / Film (IMD / FIM) technology and Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) applications. It can be used to manufacture highly complex embedded 3D components. The production steps mainly include: pre-printing decorative patterns and conductive circuit layers on two thin film substrates; using surface mount technology (SMT) to install electronic components on the conductive circuits, serving as the outer decorative film and the inner electronic circuit film, respectively; heating, 3D molding, and cutting the outer decorative film and the inner electronic circuit film to pre-form each film into the designed shape; then attaching the two films to the male mold side and the female mold side, respectively; and performing insert molding, injecting molding resin into the cavity formed by the two films to perfectly combine the outer decorative film, the inner electronic circuit film, and the resin part to form the finished product.

[0003] The advantages of IME technology are that it integrates appearance decoration and electronic circuits, removes the design and manufacturing restrictions caused by the use of PCB components, increases the design freedom of finished products, reduces the weight and volume of finished products, improves the reliability of finished products and the diversity of appearance design, realizes process simplification and automation, reduces production costs, is easy to 3D manufacture, is more environmentally friendly and complies with RoHS standards, and the finished products can be widely used in home appliances, medical, automotive, aerospace industry, wearable devices and consumer electronics products.

[0004] However, the drawback of existing IME technology is that it is not easy to handle certain special electronic circuit structures on the electronic circuit film, such as the connection cable structure. In order to make these special electronic circuit structures, the overall structural complexity of the IME mold will be increased, which will increase the complexity of the production process. The production process is also prone to causing varying degrees of damage to the precision conductive circuits, increasing the failure rate of finished products and causing unstable performance of finished products. Overall, existing IME technology still has many areas that need improvement in the production of certain special electronic circuit structures.

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the inventor, through careful attempts and research, and with a persistent spirit, finally conceived the present invention, "Molded Electronic Components and Methods for Manufacturing the Same", which can overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings. The following is a brief description of the present invention. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of existing molding electronics manufacturing technology, this invention proposes an electronic component and its manufacturing method that have an isolation layer structure to isolate the output cable from the plastic part during the molding electronics manufacturing process, thereby simplifying the mold and avoiding the production of kinked structures in the output cable. The molding electronic component proposed in this invention can be mass-produced and manufactured using only a simple mold, which not only simplifies the mold structure but also simplifies the production process, reduces manufacturing costs, makes the overall process more time-saving and labor-saving, and provides better functional reliability of the finished product, while maintaining stable and good electromechanical characteristics over a long period of time.

[0007] Accordingly, the present invention provides a molded electronic component comprising: a flexible molding film including a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a connection cable structure prepared as a connection cable, wherein an electronic circuit layer is formed on the first surface, and the flexible molding film is bonded to an injected molding material to form the molded electronic component by performing a molding electronics process, wherein before the molding electronics process is performed, an isolation layer is attached to the second surface at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure, and is removed from or retained from the second surface after the molding electronics process is completed.

[0008] Preferably, the molded electronic component further comprises one of the following: an electronic film comprising the flexible molding film and pre-formed and cut to have an electronic film pre-formed pattern; and a decorative film comprising a decorative pattern layer and pre-formed and cut to have a decorative film pre-formed pattern, wherein the decorative film having the decorative film pre-formed pattern and the electronic film having the electronic film pre-formed pattern are bonded to the injected molding material to form the molded electronic component by performing a molding electronics process, wherein before the molding electronics process is performed, the second surface of the electronic film is provided with the isolation layer at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure, and is removed from or retained from the second surface after the molding electronics process is completed.

[0009] Preferably, the isolation layer does not react with or bond to the flexible molding film and the molding material. The isolation layer is attached to the second surface at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure by an adhesive layer. The substrate of the isolation layer is selected from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), oriented polypropylene (OPP), and biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP).

[0010] Preferably, the isolation layer does not react with or bond to the flexible molding film and the molding material. The isolation layer is attached to the second surface at the position corresponding to the connecting cable structure by means of one of the following techniques: out-of-mold decoration, spraying, surface coating, and printing. The material of the isolation layer is selected from one of silicone ink, release coating, and heat-resistant coating.

[0011] Preferably, the electronic circuit layer is formed by printing a first conductive material on the first surface using a printing technique, and the electronic circuit layer is formed by removing a second conductive material from the first surface using an etching technique. The electronic circuit layer is formed by performing a flexible printed circuit fabrication process, and the first conductive material and the second conductive material are selected from one of conductive silver paste, conductive ink, and indium tin oxide conductive material.

[0012] Preferably, the flexible molding film is disposed in one of the interior of the mold core and the interior of the mold cavity during the molding electronics process, which includes one of injection molding, embedded injection molding, single-sided embedded injection molding, double-sided embedded injection molding, overmolding injection molding and in-mold injection molding, and the electronic circuit layer includes one of touch sensing electrodes and circuit wires.

[0013] The present invention further proposes a molded electronic component comprising: a flexible molding film including a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a connection cable structure prepared as a connection cable, wherein an electronic circuit layer is formed on the first surface; and an isolation layer attached to the second surface at a position corresponding to the connection cable structure, wherein the flexible molding film is bonded to an injected molding material to form the molded electronic component by performing a molding electronics process, wherein the isolation layer is removed from the second surface or retained after the molding electronics process is completed.

[0014] The present invention further proposes a method for manufacturing a molded electronic component, comprising: providing a flexible molding film including a first surface, a second surface, and a connection cable structure prepared as a connection cable, wherein an electronic circuit layer is formed on the first surface; attaching an isolation layer to the second surface at a position corresponding to the connection cable structure; performing a molding electronics process on the flexible molding film and the isolation layer, such that the flexible molding film is bonded to the injected molding material to form a molded electronic component; and selectively removing or retaining the isolation layer from the second surface after the molding electronics process is completed.

[0015] Preferably, the method for manufacturing a molded electronic component further includes one of the following: providing an electronic film comprising the flexible molding film; providing a decorative film comprising a decorative pattern layer; preforming and cutting the electronic film to form an electronic film preform; preforming and cutting the decorative film to form a decorative film preform; attaching an insulating layer to the second surface of the electronic film at a position corresponding to the connection cable structure; performing the molding electronic process on the decorative film having the decorative film preform, the electronic film having the electronic film preform, and the insulating layer, so that the decorative film, the electronic film, and the injected molding material combine to form the molded electronic component; and performing a secondary processing to cut the connection cable structure from the flexible molding film of the electronic film to pull the connection cable structure from the flexible molding film as the connection cable, wherein the secondary processing is selected from one of laser cutting, computer numerical control (CNC) cutting, or punching.

[0016] The above-described invention is intended to provide a simplified summary of the present disclosure so that the reader can have a basic understanding of the present disclosure. This invention is not a complete description of the present invention, and is not intended to point out important / key elements of the embodiments of the present invention or to define the scope of the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating the multi-functional control panel of the automotive center console used in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 The present invention discloses that Figure 1 The disclosed outer decorative film is prefabricated on the multi-functional control panel of the existing automotive center console;

[0019] Figure 3 The present invention discloses that Figure 1 The disclosed inner electronic film is the pre-fabricated inner layer of the multi-functional control panel in the existing automotive center console.

[0020] Figure 4 and Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating the in-mold forming mold used in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a first finished product manufactured by implementing the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 7 A schematic diagram showing the electrical connection between the first finished product and the external controller;

[0023] Figure 8 A schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a second finished product manufactured by implementing the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 9 A schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a third finished product manufactured by implementing a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 10 A top view schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the electronic thin film disclosed in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 11 A bottom view schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the electronic thin film disclosed in the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 12 A side view schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic thin film disclosed in the fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0028] Figure 13 A schematic diagram illustrating the embedding molding of the electronic thin film with an attached insulating layer in a mold according to the present invention;

[0029] Figure 14 A schematic diagram showing the structure of a finished product manufactured by implementing the molding electronics process of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 15 A schematic diagram illustrating the usage state of a finished product manufactured through the molding electronics process of the present invention; and

[0031] Figure 16 A flowchart illustrating the implementation steps of the method for manufacturing molded electronic components according to the present invention.

[0032] Explanation of icon numbers

[0033] 10 Multifunctional Control Panel

[0034] 11. Outer surface

[0035] 12 Brand indicator lights and main switch

[0036] 14 Air Conditioner On / Off Buttons

[0037] 16 Air supply button

[0038] 18. Rear air conditioning on / off button

[0039] 20 Windshield defroster button

[0040] 22. In-vehicle air circulation on / off button

[0041] 24 Air Conditioner Temperature Adjustment Buttons

[0042] 26. Driver's seat air supply on / off button

[0043] 28. Passenger seat air supply on / off button

[0044] 30 Volume Up Button

[0045] 32. Volume Down Button

[0046] 34. Volume Adjustment Slider

[0047] 40 Decorative film

[0048] 50 Electronic Thin Films

[0049] 52 Touch-sensing electrodes

[0050] 54 Circuit wires

[0051] 56 Connecting ribbon cable

[0052] 57 Connecting ribbon cable

[0053] 58 connector

[0054] 59 Connector

[0055] 60 molds

[0056] 62 Models

[0057] 64 mold cavities

[0058] 66 First move

[0059] 67 Second entry

[0060] 68 Top pin

[0061] 69 Cavity

[0062] 71 Adhesive layer

[0063] 73 Anisotropic Conductive Adhesive

[0064] 80 finished products

[0065] 81 Plastic parts

[0066] 90 PCB motherboard module

[0067] 100 electronic thin films

[0068] 102 Connection cable structure

[0069] 104 Connection cable structure

[0070] 106 Connecting ribbon cable

[0071] 108 Connecting ribbon cable

[0072] 110 Flexible molding film

[0073] 111 First page

[0074] 112 Second page

[0075] 121 Touch sensing electrodes

[0076] 123 Circuit wires

[0077] 130 isolation layers

[0078] 141 Molding Materials

[0079] 142 Plastic parts

[0080] 144 Grooves

[0081] 200 molds

[0082] 210 Model

[0083] 220 mold cavity

[0084] 300 finished products

[0085] F-angle structure

[0086] B Bend

[0087] 600 Method for manufacturing molded electronic components according to the present invention

[0088] Implementation steps 601-606 Detailed Implementation

[0089] The present invention will be fully understood by the following embodiments, which will enable those skilled in the art to carry out the invention. However, the implementation of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. The accompanying drawings of the present invention do not contain any limitation on size, dimensions and scale. In actual implementation of the present invention, its size, dimensions and scale are not limited by the accompanying drawings of the present invention.

[0090] The term "preferred" used herein is non-exclusive and should be understood as "preferred to be, but not limited to." Any step described or recorded in any specification or claim may be performed in any order, but is not limited to the order stated in the claims. The scope of the invention should be determined only by the appended claims and their equivalents, and not by the embodiments of the example implementation. The term "comprising" and its variations, when appearing in the specification and claims, are open-ended terms, not restrictive, and do not exclude other features or steps.

[0091] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the multi-functional control panel of the car center console used in the first embodiment of the present invention is shown; this embodiment uses the multi-functional control panel of the car center console as an example for illustration, but the implementation of the present invention is not limited thereto; Figure 1The multi-functional control panel 10 shown includes a brand logo light and a master switch 12. The upper row of the panel is equipped with air conditioning adjustment functions, such as, but not limited to: air conditioning on / off button 14, air supply button 16, rear air conditioning on / off button 18, windshield defogger button 20, in-vehicle air circulation on / off button 22, air conditioning temperature adjustment button 24, driver's seat air supply on / off button 26 or passenger seat air supply on / off button 28, etc. The lower row is equipped with multimedia adjustment functions, such as, but not limited to: volume up button 30, volume down button 32 or volume adjustment slider 34, etc. In this embodiment, the above buttons are preferably touch-based buttons. In the finished product, all buttons are perfectly integrated with electronic touch functions, light indicators and decorative patterns, but the outer surface 11 of the multi-functional control panel 10 still maintains a regular continuous curved surface, without assembly seams and screw holes or other structures that damage the appearance.

[0092] Figure 2 The present invention discloses that Figure 1 The disclosed existing automotive center console multi-function control panel has a pre-fabricated outer decorative film; in this embodiment, Figure 2 The outer decorative film 40 revealed, according to Figure 1 The revealed design pattern of the multifunctional control panel is mainly used to present and indicate various functional blocks such as buttons 14-32. The pattern is composed of light-transmitting, opaque and different color mixtures, and is made by, but not limited to, printing processes, such as screen printing, letterpress printing, gravure printing, offset printing, digital printing or inkjet printing.

[0093] Figure 3 The present invention discloses that Figure 1 The disclosed inner electronic film is a pre-fabricated layer of the existing automotive center console multi-function control panel; in this embodiment, Figure 3 The disclosed inner electronic film 50 preferably corresponds to each touch button 14-32 printed on the outer decorative film 40. Materials such as, but not limited to, conductive silver paste are printed on the surface of the electronic film 50 to form touch sensing electrodes 52 and circuit traces 54. The inner electronic film 50 also includes two connecting tails 56 and 57 extending from the edge. The circuit traces 54 are integrated at the ends of the connecting tails 56 and 57 to form connectors 58 and 59.

[0094] The outer decorative film 40 and the inner electronic film 50 are preferably made of polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polypropylene (PP), or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The outer decorative film 40 and the inner electronic film 50 can be made into light-transmitting films or opaque films.

[0095] Figure 4 and Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating the in-mold forming mold used in the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 The disclosed mold 60 includes a core 62, also known as a male mold, and a cavity 64, also known as a female mold. An outer decorative film 40 is attached to the cavity 64 side, while an inner electronic film 50 is attached to the core 62 side. However, in some embodiments, the outer decorative film 40 is attached to the core 62 side and the inner electronic film 50 is attached to the cavity 64 side. This is not a limitation. In order to fix the floating connecting cables 56 and 57 on the inner electronic film 50, the core 62 is additionally provided with components such as a first core insert 66, a second core insert 67, and an ejection pin 68. By inserting the second core insert 67 into the first core insert 66, the connecting cables 56 and 57 are clamped and fixed to the core 62 by the first core insert 66 and the second core insert 67. The core 62 also includes a plurality of positioning pins for determining the position of the inner electronic film 50 on the core 62.

[0096] Before being inserted into the mold for insertion molding, the outer decorative film 40 and the inner electronic film 50 have undergone preheating, preforming and trimming processes to ensure that their structural shapes conform to a portion of the finished product's design or structure.

[0097] After the outer decorative film 40 and the inner electronic film 50 are respectively configured on the mold cavity 64 and the mold core 62, the mold core 62 and the mold cavity 64 are heated or not. Molding material is injected into the cavity 69 formed by the outer decorative film 40 and the inner electronic film 50 to form a plastic part 81. The molding material is selected from polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), etc. After the outer decorative film 40 and the inner electronic film 50 are combined with the plastic part 81 to form the finished product 80, the mold cavity 64 and the mold core 62 are separated, and the ejector pin 68 releases the first insert 66 and the second insert 67 to release the clamped connecting wires 56 and 57, completing the demolding of the finished product 80. Figure 5 As shown.

[0098] Figure 6A schematic diagram of the structure of the first finished product manufactured by implementing the first embodiment of the present invention is shown. On the finished product 80 manufactured by the first embodiment, the connecting wires 56 and 57 exposed from the edge of the finished product 80 are forced to form an angled structure F on the connecting wires 56 and 57 due to being clamped by the first insert 66 and the second insert 67 during the embedding and molding process. This can easily cause the fine circuit wires 54 printed on the connecting wires 56 and 57 to fall off or be damaged, resulting in the finished product 80 often experiencing temporary malfunctions or unstable electromechanical performance in actual use. In addition, since the mold core 62 needs to be additionally equipped with the first insert 66 and the second insert 67, the complexity of the mold structure is also increased, making it difficult to open the mold and making the production process more complicated.

[0099] Figure 7 A schematic diagram showing the electrical connection between the first finished product and the external controller is provided. On the finished product 80, which is manufactured using a double-sided embedded die-casting process, an outer decorative film 40 and an inner electronic film 50 are arranged on both sides of the plastic part 81 and bonded to it. Connecting cables 56 and 57 protrude from the edge of the finished product 80. Connecting cables 56 and 57 are electrically connected to the connection ports of the external controller PCB motherboard module 90 via connectors 58 and 59. Figure 7 As shown, the PCB motherboard module 90 is equipped with at least a touch controller chip to decode the input signal of the touch sensing electrode 52, a power control chip, and LED chips to provide illumination sources for each touch button 14-32.

[0100] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of the second finished product produced by implementing the second embodiment of the present invention is shown. Based on the first embodiment, this embodiment implements a single-sided injection molding process, in which the decorative film 40 is only injected onto the outer side of the plastic part 81, while the inner side of the plastic part 81 retains a planar structure. The electronic film 50 is not bonded to the plastic part 81 during the single-sided injection molding process. After the finished product 80 is demolded, an adhesive layer 71 is applied to the inner side of the plastic part 81 to adhere the electronic film 50. This effectively simplifies the structural complexity of the mold core 62 and simplifies the production process. When the connecting cables 56 and 57 are pulled out from the edge of the finished product 80, the connecting cables 56 and 57 can be bent at a larger angle at the bend B, avoiding the occurrence of folded corners.

[0101] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of the third finished product made by implementing the third embodiment of the present invention is shown. Based on the second embodiment, in this embodiment, the connecting cables 56 and 57 are further separated from the electronic film 50 and manufactured separately. The electronic film 50 is still attached to the inner side of the plastic part 81 by the adhesive layer 71, and then the connecting cables 56 and 57 are attached to the electronic film 50 by the anisotropic conductive adhesive (ACF) 73, which effectively mitigates the angle of the bend B. However, ACF is not suitable for high temperature and humid environment, and it is easy to delaminate after long-term use.

[0102] Figure 10 A top view schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the electronic thin film disclosed in the fourth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 A bottom view schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the electronic thin film disclosed in the fourth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 The present invention discloses a side view of the structure of an electronic thin film according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The electronic thin film 100 designed in the fourth embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible molding film 110. The flexible molding film 110 has a first surface 111 (or front side) and a second surface 112 (or back side) opposite to the first surface 111. An electronic circuit layer is included on the surface of the first surface 111. The electronic circuit layer includes at least a touch sensing electrode 121 and a circuit wire 123. The electronic circuit layer is preferably formed by printing conductive materials, such as, but not limited to, conductive silver paste or conductive ink, on the surface of the flexible molding film 110 through printing technology, removing conductive materials, such as, but not limited to, indium tin oxide, through exposure, development and etching technology, or by performing a flexible printed circuit fabrication process.

[0103] The position of the touch sensing electrode 121 is preferably aligned with the decorative pattern on the outer decorative film 40. Depending on the design and requirements, surface mount technology (SMT) can also be selectively used to continue mounting the required electronic components on the electronic circuit layer.

[0104] It is worth noting that in this embodiment, the connecting cable structures 102 and 104, which are intended to be connecting cables 106 and 108, have been pre-fabricated on the first surface 111 of the flexible molding film 110. However, before the double-sided embedded injection molding is implemented and the final product is removed from the film, the connecting cable structures 102 and 104 will not be cut out from the flexible molding film 110 or separated from the flexible molding film 110.

[0105] On the second surface 112 of the flexible molding film 110, corresponding to the position of the connecting cable structures 102 and 104, an isolation layer 130 is also disposed. The isolation layer 130 is a barrier layer made of a heat-resistant material that will not react with or bond with the flexible molding film 110 and the injected molding material. The isolation layer 130 will be placed into the mold together with the electronic film 100 for submerged injection molding or injection molding. Under the isolation of the isolation layer 130, the molded electronic film 100 includes the flexible molding film 110, etc. The part covered by the isolation layer 130, i.e. the connecting cable structures 102 and 104, will not react with or bond with the injected molding material. The other parts not isolated by the isolation layer 130 will bond with the injected molding material.

[0106] The isolation layer 130 does not react with or bond to the flexible molding film 110 and the molding material. The isolation layer 130 is adhered to the second side 112 of the flexible molding film 110, corresponding to the connection cable structures 102 and 104, by means of, but not limited to, adhesive bonding. The structure of the isolation layer 130 is mainly composed of a silicone material coated on a substrate. The substrate material is preferably, but not limited to, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), oriented polypropylene (OPP), or biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP).

[0107] Preferably, the isolation layer 130 can also be attached to the second surface 112 of the flexible molding film 110 and to the position corresponding to the connecting cable structures 102 and 104 by implementing techniques such as, but not limited to, off-mold decoration (OMD), spraying, coating, or printing. The material of the isolation layer 130 is selected from, for example, but not limited to, silicone ink, release coating, or heat-resistant coating, as long as the material meets the condition of not reacting with the flexible molding film 110 and the molding material to bond.

[0108] Figure 13 This diagram illustrates the process of embedding and injection molding of an electronic thin film with an isolation layer attached to a mold. In this embodiment, the electronic thin film 100 with the isolation layer 130 is disposed on the core 210 side of the mold 200 opposite to the cavity 220. During the embedding or injection molding process after the electronic thin film 100 with the isolation layer 130 is placed into the mold 200, the connecting cable structures 102 and 104, which are isolated by the isolation layer 130, will not react with or bond with the injection molding material 141 used to make the plastic part 142.

[0109] In this embodiment, since the flexible molding film 110 no longer has connecting lines extending from the edges and floating during the molding process, and the connecting line structures 102 and 104 are already part of the overall structure of the flexible molding film 110, the mold core 210 or mold cavity 220 no longer needs to be equipped with complex auxiliary structures such as core inserts, cavity inserts, or pins to fix the connecting lines, greatly simplifying the structure of the mold 200. Figure 13 As shown, this also simplifies the production process.

[0110] Figure 14This diagram illustrates the structure of a finished product manufactured using the molding electronic process of the present invention. After demolding, the finished product 300, manufactured using the molding electronic process of the present invention, is isolated from the back surfaces of the connecting cable structures 102 and 104 by the isolation layer 130, and therefore will not bond with the molding material 141 or the plastic part 142. Thus, only secondary processing methods such as laser cutting, computer numerical control (CNC) cutting, or punching are needed to cut along the edge contours of the connecting cable structures 102 and 104 (e.g., ...). Figure 10 As shown, after cutting open the connecting cable structures 102 and 104, they can be torn apart and pulled out from the flexible molding film 110 to become connecting cables 106 and 108, which are then electrically connected to the connection ports of the external controller PCB motherboard module 90. The insulating layer 130 attached to the back of the connecting cables 106 and 108 can be selectively removed or retained.

[0111] Figure 15 This diagram illustrates the usage state of the finished product manufactured through the molding electronic process of the present invention. The isolation layer 130 disposed on the second surface 112 will leave a small groove 144 on the plastic part 142 during the embedding process. However, since the groove 144 is located inside the finished product 300, it does not affect the appearance of the finished product 300 at all. Moreover, the volume of the groove 144 is relatively small compared to the overall volume of the plastic part 142, and it does not affect the overall structural strength of the finished product 300. When the finished product 300 is actually assembled with the external controller PCB motherboard module 90, a larger and gentler bending angle can be obtained at the bending point B, ensuring that the finished product 300 can maintain stable and good electromechanical characteristics for a long time.

[0112] Figure 16The flowchart illustrates the implementation steps of the molding electronic component manufacturing method of the present invention. In summary, the molding electronic component manufacturing method 600 of the present invention preferably includes the following steps: providing an electronic film comprising a flexible molding film, the flexible molding film comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a connection cable structure prepared as a connection cable, wherein an electronic circuit layer is formed on the first surface (step 601); providing a decorative film comprising a decorative pattern layer (step 602); preforming and cutting the electronic film to form an electronic film preform; and preforming and cutting the decorative film to form a decorative film. Pre-formed pattern (step 603); attaching the isolation layer to the second surface at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure (step 604); performing the molding electronic process on the decorative film having the decorative film pre-formed pattern, the electronic film having the electronic film pre-formed pattern, and the isolation layer, so that the decorative film, the electronic film, and the injected molding material are combined to form the molded electronic component (step 605); performing a first and second processing to cut the connection cable structure from the flexible molding film of the electronic film, so as to pull the connection cable structure out from the flexible molding film as the connection cable (step 606).

[0113] In summary, this invention proposes an electronic component with an isolation layer structure to isolate the output cable from the plastic part during the molding process of electronic components, thereby simplifying the mold and avoiding the formation of kinked structures in the output cable, as well as a method for manufacturing the same. The molded electronic component proposed in this invention can be mass-produced and manufactured using only a simple mold. Not only is the mold structure simple, but the production process is also simplified, manufacturing costs are reduced, the overall process is more time-saving and labor-saving, and the finished product has better functional reliability.

[0114] The embodiments of the present invention described above can be arbitrarily combined or substituted with each other to generate more implementation methods, but none of them depart from the scope of protection of the present invention. Further examples of the present invention are provided below:

[0115] Example 1: A molded electronic component comprising: a flexible molding film including a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a connection cable structure prepared as a connection cable, wherein an electronic circuit layer is formed on the first surface, and the flexible molding film is bonded to injected molding material to form the molded electronic component by performing a molding electronics process, wherein before the molding electronics process is performed, an isolation layer is attached to the second surface at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure, and is removed from or retained from the second surface after the molding electronics process is completed.

[0116] Example 2: The molded electronic component as described in Example 1 further includes one of the following: an electronic film comprising the flexible molding film and pre-formed and cut to have an electronic film pre-formed pattern; and a decorative film comprising a decorative pattern layer and pre-formed and cut to have a decorative film pre-formed pattern, wherein the decorative film having the decorative film pre-formed pattern and the electronic film having the electronic film pre-formed pattern are combined with the injected molding material to form the molded electronic component by performing a molding electronic process, wherein before the molding electronic process is performed, the second surface of the electronic film is provided with the isolation layer at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure, and is removed from or retained from the second surface after the molding electronic process is completed.

[0117] Example 3: A molded electronic component as described in Example 1, wherein the isolation layer does not react with or bond to the flexible molding film and the molding material, and the isolation layer is attached to the second surface at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure by an adhesive layer, and the substrate of the isolation layer is selected from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), oriented polypropylene (OPP), and biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP).

[0118] Example 4: The molded electronic component as described in Example 1, wherein the isolation layer does not react with the flexible molding film and the molding material to bond together. The isolation layer is attached to the second surface at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure by implementing one of the following techniques: out-of-mold decoration, spraying, surface coating and printing. The material of the isolation layer is selected from one of silicone ink, release coating and heat-resistant coating.

[0119] Example 5: A molded electronic component as described in Example 1, wherein the electronic circuit layer is formed by printing a first conductive material on the first surface using a printing technique, the electronic circuit layer is formed by removing a second conductive material from the first surface using an etching technique, the electronic circuit layer is formed by performing a flexible printed circuit fabrication process, and the first conductive material and the second conductive material are selected from one of conductive silver paste, conductive ink, and indium tin oxide conductive material.

[0120] Example 6: A molded electronic component as described in Example 1, wherein the flexible molding film is disposed in one of the interior of the mold core and the interior of the mold cavity during the molding electronic process. The molding electronic process includes one of injection molding, embedded injection molding, single-sided embedded injection molding, double-sided embedded injection molding, overmolding injection molding, and in-mold injection molding. The electronic circuit layer includes one of touch sensing electrodes and circuit wires.

[0121] Example 7: A molded electronic component as described in Example 1, wherein the flexible molding film is selected from one of polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polypropylene (PP), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and the molding material is selected from one of polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

[0122] Example 8: A molded electronic component comprising: a flexible molding film including a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a connection cable structure prepared as a connection cable, wherein an electronic circuit layer is formed on the first surface; and an isolation layer attached to the second surface at a position corresponding to the connection cable structure, wherein the flexible molding film is bonded to injected molding material to form the molded electronic component by performing a molding electronics process, wherein the isolation layer is removed from the second surface or retained after the molding electronics process is completed.

[0123] Example 9: A method for manufacturing a molded electronic component, comprising: providing a flexible molding film including a first surface, a second surface, and a connection cable structure prepared as a connection cable, wherein an electronic circuit layer is formed on the first surface; attaching an isolation layer to the second surface at a position corresponding to the connection cable structure; performing a molding electronics process on the flexible molding film and the isolation layer, such that the flexible molding film is bonded to an injected molding material to form a molded electronic component; and selectively removing or retaining the isolation layer from the second surface after the molding electronics process is completed.

[0124] Example 10: The method for manufacturing a molded electronic component as described in Example 9 further includes one of the following: providing an electronic film comprising the flexible molding film; providing a decorative film comprising a decorative pattern layer; preforming and cutting the electronic film to form an electronic film preform; preforming and cutting the decorative film to form a decorative film preform; attaching an isolation layer to the second surface of the electronic film at a position corresponding to the connection cable structure; performing the molding electronic process on the decorative film having the decorative film preform, the electronic film having the electronic film preform, and the isolation layer, so that the decorative film, the electronic film, and the injected molding material combine to form the molded electronic component; and performing a secondary processing to cut the connection cable structure from the flexible molding film of the electronic film to pull the connection cable structure from the flexible molding film as the connection cable, wherein the secondary processing is selected from one of laser cutting, computer numerical control (CNC) cutting, or punching.

[0125] The various embodiments of the present invention can be arbitrarily combined or substituted with each other to generate more implementation methods, but none of them shall depart from the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention shall be defined by the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A molded electronic component comprising: An electronic thin film includes a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a connection cable structure prepared as a connection cable. An electronic circuit layer is formed on the first surface. The electronic thin film is bonded to injected molding material by performing a molding electronics process to form the molded electronic component. Prior to the implementation of the molding electronics process, a non-molding material adhesive isolation layer is attached to the second surface at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure. The non-molding material adhesive isolation layer does not react with or bond with the electronic thin film and the molding material, and is either removed from or retained from the second surface after the molding electronics process is completed.

2. The molded electronic component according to claim 1, further comprising: The electronic thin film comprises a flexible molding film, pre-formed and cut to have an electronic thin film pre-formed pattern; and Decorative film, comprising a decorative pattern layer, and pre-formed and cut to have a decorative film pre-formed pattern. The decorative film having the decorative film preform pattern and the electronic film having the electronic film preform pattern are combined with the injected molding material through a molding electronics process to form the molded electronic component. Prior to the implementation of the molding electronics process, the second surface of the electronic thin film is provided with an adhesive isolation layer of non-molding material at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure, and is either removed from or retained from the second surface after the molding electronics process is completed.

3. The molded electronic component according to claim 2, wherein the non-molded material adhesive isolation layer does not react with the flexible molding film and the molding material to bond together, the non-molded material adhesive isolation layer is attached to the second surface at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure by an adhesive layer, and the substrate of the non-molded material adhesive isolation layer is selected from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), oriented polypropylene (OPP), and biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP).

4. The molded electronic component according to claim 2, wherein the non-molded material adhesive isolation layer does not react with or bond to the flexible molding film and the molding material, the non-molded material adhesive isolation layer is attached to the second surface at the position corresponding to the connecting cable structure by means of one of the following techniques: out-of-mold decoration, spraying, surface coating, and printing, and the material of the non-molded material adhesive isolation layer is selected from one of silicone ink, release coating, and heat-resistant coating.

5. The molded electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit layer is formed by printing a first conductive material on the first surface using a printing technique, the electronic circuit layer is formed by removing a second conductive material from the first surface using an etching technique, the electronic circuit layer is formed by performing a flexible printed circuit fabrication process, and the first conductive material and the second conductive material are selected from conductive silver paste, conductive ink, and indium tin oxide conductive material.

6. The molded electronic component according to claim 2, wherein the flexible molding film is disposed in one of the interior of the mold core and the interior of the mold cavity during the molding electronic process, the molding electronic process includes one of injection molding, embedded injection molding, single-sided embedded injection molding, double-sided embedded injection molding, overmolding injection molding and in-mold injection molding, and the electronic circuit layer includes one of touch sensing electrodes and circuit wires.

7. The molded electronic component according to claim 2, wherein the flexible molding film is selected from polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polypropylene (PP), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and the molding material is selected from polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

8. A method for manufacturing a molded electronic component, comprising: An electronic thin film is provided, comprising a first surface, a second surface, and a connection cable structure prepared as a connection cable, wherein an electronic circuit layer is formed on the first surface; A non-molded material adhesive isolation layer is attached to the second surface at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure, and does not react with or bond with the electronic thin film and the molding material; A molding electronics process is performed on the electronic thin film and the non-molded material adhesive isolation layer to bond the electronic thin film with the injected molding material to form a molded electronic component; and The non-molded material adhesive isolation layer may be selectively removed from or retained from the second surface after the molding electronics process is completed.

9. The method for manufacturing molded electronic components according to claim 8, further comprising: The electronic thin film is provided, comprising a flexible molding film; A decorative film is provided, which includes a decorative pattern layer; The electronic film is pre-formed and cut to form an electronic film preform; The decorative film is pre-formed and cut to form a decorative film pre-formed pattern; The non-molded material adhesive isolation layer is attached to the second surface of the electronic thin film at the position corresponding to the connection cable structure; The molding electronics process is performed on the decorative film having the decorative film preform pattern, the electronic film having the electronic film preform pattern, and the non-molding material adhesive isolation layer, so that the decorative film, the electronic film, and the injected molding material are combined to form the molded electronic component; as well as The secondary processing involves cutting the connecting cable structure from the flexible molding film of the electronic thin film to pull the connecting cable structure out of the flexible molding film as the connecting cable, wherein the secondary processing is selected from one of laser cutting, computer numerical control (CNC) cutting or punching.

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