Flexible printed circuit board assembly, method of manufacturing same, and battery module

Abstract

One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide a flexible printed circuit board assembly, a method of manufacturing the same, and a battery module. The flexible printed circuit board assembly includes: a first substrate including: a first main line; a first branch line extending from the first main line; and a first connector on a first side of the first main line and having a through hole; and a second substrate separated from the first substrate and including: a second main line; a second branch line extending from the second main line; and a second connector on a first side of the second main line and having a through hole, in which the first substrate and the second substrate are electrically connected through the first connector and the second connector.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to flexible printed circuit board assemblies, battery modules including flexible printed circuit board assemblies, and methods for manufacturing flexible printed circuit board assemblies. Background Technology

[0002] The difference between rechargeable batteries and primary batteries is that rechargeable batteries can be repeatedly charged and discharged, while primary batteries cannot be recharged. Low-capacity rechargeable batteries are used in relatively small portable electronic devices such as smartphones, feature phones, laptops, digital cameras, and camcorders, while high-capacity rechargeable batteries are widely used as power sources for engines in hybrid and electric vehicles and are also widely used as storage batteries.

[0003] Multiple individual cells of a rechargeable battery can be provided and connected in series and / or in parallel via connecting components such as busbars to form a battery module.

[0004] The battery module may include electrical connections to each battery cell to measure information related to the battery cell (e.g., voltage and current information) and transmit that information to an external flexible printed circuit board.

[0005] The shape of a flexible printed circuit board can vary depending on the shape and arrangement of the battery cells. For example, the length of the flexible printed circuit board can be determined based on the arrangement length (or stacking length) of the battery cells, and the width of the flexible printed circuit board can be determined based on the distance between the electrode terminals arranged on the battery cells.

[0006] Battery cells can be stacked in a certain direction, and the electrode terminals arranged in the same battery cell can be spaced apart from each other by a certain distance. In this paper, the distance between the electrode terminals of each battery cell can be made to be the same size. For example, the electrode terminals in a battery module in which battery cells are stacked in this direction can be formed into two rows spaced apart by equal distances.

[0007] The flexible printed circuit board may include components that allow connection to the electrode terminals of each spaced-apart battery cell. These components may be spaced apart from each other by a distance corresponding to the distance between the electrode terminals arranged in the same battery cell, and accordingly, the width of the flexible printed circuit board may be fixed.

[0008] If the width of the flexible printed circuit board is fixed along its longitudinal direction (the same direction as the stacking direction of the battery cells), then unusable waste portions may be generated from the materials used in manufacturing the flexible printed circuit board, which may affect the efficiency and cost of manufacturing the flexible printed circuit board. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This disclosure attempts to reduce or minimize the space wastage that may occur during the manufacture of flexible printed circuit boards.

[0010] However, this disclosure is not limited to the foregoing purposes, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other aspects not mentioned in the description of the claims.

[0011] One or more embodiments of this disclosure provide a flexible printed circuit board assembly, including: a first substrate including: a first main line; a first branch line extending from the first main line; and a first connector on a first side of the first main line and having a through hole; and a second substrate, separate from the first substrate and including: a second main line; a second branch line extending from the second main line; and a second connector on a first side of the second main line and having a through hole, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are electrically connected via the first connector and the second connector.

[0012] The flexible printed circuit board assembly may further include a socket containing pins configured to be received in a through-hole of a first connector and a through-hole of a second connector.

[0013] The flexible printed circuit board assembly may further include a fixing member having a first surface and a second surface, a first connector and a second connector disposed on the first surface, and a socket connected to the second surface.

[0014] The fixing component may include a rigid printed circuit board.

[0015] Adhesives can be provided between the fixing member and the first connector, and between the fixing member and the second connector.

[0016] The fixing member can define a through hole corresponding to the perforation, and the pins can extend beyond the first connector and the second connector through the through hole.

[0017] Each of the first substrate and the second substrate may include: a base film having insulating and flexible properties; and a circuit pattern layer on the first surface of the base film.

[0018] The flexible printed circuit board assembly may further include a wire assembly in the socket.

[0019] One or more embodiments of this disclosure provide a battery module including a flexible printed circuit board assembly, the flexible printed circuit board assembly including: a first substrate including: a first main line; a first branch line extending from the first main line; and a first connector on a first side of the first main line and having a through hole; and a second substrate, separate from the first substrate and including: a second main line; a second branch line extending from the second main line; and a second connector on a first side of the second main line and having a through hole, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are electrically connected via the first connector and the second connector.

[0020] One or more embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for manufacturing a flexible printed circuit board assembly, the method comprising: separately manufacturing a first substrate including a first connector on a first side and a second substrate including a second connector on a first side; and electrically connecting the first substrate and the second substrate via the first connector and the second connector.

[0021] Electrically connecting the first substrate and the second substrate may include: arranging the first connector and the second connector on the first surface of the fixing member; and connecting the socket to the second surface of the fixing member.

[0022] Electrically connecting the first substrate and the second substrate may further include inserting a wire assembly into a socket.

[0023] According to this disclosure, the number of flexible printed circuit board assemblies that can be manufactured from the same materials can be increased.

[0024] Flexible printed circuit board assemblies are formed from a single layer, which simplifies the pin connection structure with wire assemblies and suppresses interference between internal circuits of the flexible printed circuit board assembly.

[0025] However, this disclosure is not limited to the foregoing purposes, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other aspects not mentioned in the description of the claims. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure, are provided together with the detailed description of the present disclosure provided later to further understand the technical ideas of the present disclosure, and therefore, the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited to the matters depicted in such drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 A top view of a battery module according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0028] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A perspective view of a flexible printed circuit board assembly.

[0029] Figure 3 It shows Figure 2A bottom view of a flexible printed circuit board assembly.

[0030] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a portion of a flexible printed circuit board assembly is shown.

[0031] Figure 5 The information transmission path in a flexible printed circuit board assembly is shown.

[0032] Figure 6 A schematic diagram is shown, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, illustrating the number of first substrates that can be manufactured from materials having corresponding dimensions.

[0033] Figure 7 The illustration shows one or more embodiments of the present disclosure for description that can be provided by having with Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the number of second substrates made of the same size material.

[0034] Figure 8 A schematic diagram is shown to illustrate the number of general-purpose flexible printed circuit boards that can be made from a single material.

[0035] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a flexible printed circuit board assembly according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0036] Figure 10 A description for more detail is shown. Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating the operation of electrically connecting the first and second substrates.

[0037] Figure 11 This is a view showing the operation of arranging the first connector and the second connector on the first surface of the fixing member.

[0038] Figure 12 This is a view showing the operation of connecting the socket to the second surface of the fixed member.

[0039] Figure 13 This is a view showing the process of inserting a wire assembly into a socket.

[0040] Some descriptions in the attached figure references

[0041] 1: Busbar assembly 10: Busbar bracket

[0042] 20: Busbar 30: Central Busbar

[0043] 40: Flexible printed circuit board assembly; 110: First opening

[0044] 130: Second opening; 200: Battery cell

[0045] 210: Electrode terminal; 230: Exhaust port

[0046] 401: Basement membrane; 403: Adhesive layer

[0047] 405: Circuit pattern layer; 407: Insulating layer

[0048] 410: First substrate; 430: Second substrate

[0049] 450: Fixed component; 470: Socket

[0050] 490: Wire assembly; 2000: Battery module

[0051] 4110: First Main Quest 4130: First Side Quest

[0052] 4150: First connector; 4151: Through hole

[0053] 4310: Second Main Storyline 4330: Second Branch Storyline

[0054] 4350: Second connector; 4351: Through hole

[0055] 4510: Adhesive; 4530: Through-hole

[0056] 4710: Pin Detailed Implementation

[0057] Aspects of some embodiments of this disclosure and methods of implementing them can be more readily understood by referring to the detailed description and accompanying drawings of the embodiments. The described embodiments are provided as examples so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the aspects of this disclosure to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, redundant processes, elements, and techniques that are irrelevant or unrelated to the description of the embodiments or are not essential for a full understanding of the aspects of this disclosure by those skilled in the art may be omitted. Unless otherwise stated, the same reference numerals, characters, or combinations thereof denote the same elements throughout the drawings and written description, and therefore their repetitive description may be omitted.

[0058] The described embodiments may have various modifications and may be embodied in different forms, and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments shown herein. In describing embodiments, the use of “may,” “may,” “may not,” or “may not” corresponds to one or more embodiments of this disclosure.

[0059] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in view of the whole of this disclosure, each suitable feature of the various embodiments of this disclosure may be combined or integrated with each other in part or in whole and may be technically linked and operated in various suitable ways, and each embodiment may be implemented independently or in combination with each other in any suitable way, unless otherwise stated or implied.

[0060] In the accompanying drawings, the relative dimensions of elements, layers, and regions may be exaggerated for clarity and / or descriptive purposes. In other words, because the dimensions and thicknesses of elements in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for ease of description, this disclosure is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the use of crosshairs and / or shading in the drawings is generally provided to clarify the boundaries between adjacent elements. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the presence or absence of crosshairs or shading does not convey or indicate any preference or requirement for a particular material, material properties, size, scale, commonalities between the elements shown, or any other characteristics, properties, or characteristics of the elements.

[0061] Various embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional views that are schematic illustrations of embodiments and / or intermediate structures. Therefore, variations in the illustrated shapes are expected due to factors such as manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Furthermore, the specific structural or functional descriptions disclosed herein are illustrative only for the purpose of describing embodiments according to the concept of this disclosure. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein should not be construed as limited to the shapes of the illustrated elements, layers, or regions, but should include, for example, deviations in shape due to manufacturing processes.

[0062] For ease of explanation, spatially relative terms such as “below,” “under,” “lower,” “lower side,” “below,” “above,” “above,” “higher,” “upper side,” and “side” (e.g., as in “sidewall”) may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature as shown in the accompanying drawings to another element(s). It will be understood that, in addition to the orientations depicted in the drawings, spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the drawings is flipped, then an element described as “below,” “under,” or “below” other elements or features will be oriented as “above” other elements or features. Thus, the example terms “below” and “below” can encompass both upper and lower orientations. The device may be oriented in other ways (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptive terms used herein should be interpreted accordingly. Similarly, when a first part is described as being arranged “on” a second part, this means that the first part is arranged above or below the second part, and not limited to the upper side of the second part based on the direction of gravity.

[0063] Furthermore, the phrase "in a plan view" means when viewing a portion of the object from above, and the phrase "in a schematic cross-sectional view" means when viewing a schematic cross-section taken by vertically cutting the portion of the object from the side. The terms "overlapping" or "overlapping" mean that the first object may be above, below, or to the side of the second object, and vice versa. Additionally, the term "overlapping" can include stacking, facing or confronting, extending over, covering or partially covering, or any other suitable terminology that will be recognized and understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The expression "non-overlapping" can include meanings such as "separated from," "set beside," or "offset from," and any other suitable equivalent that will be recognized and understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The terms "facing" and "confronting" can mean that the first object may be directly or indirectly opposite the second object. In the case where a third object is located between the first and second objects, although the first and second objects still face each other, they can be understood as being indirectly opposite each other.

[0064] It will be understood that when a component, layer, region, or part (e.g., device, apparatus, circuit, wiring, electrode, terminal, conductive film, etc.) is referred to as "formed on," "on," "connected to," or "(operably, functionally, or communicatively) coupled to" another component, layer, region, or part," that component, layer, region, or part may be directly formed on, directly connected to, or coupled to that component, layer, region, or part, or may be indirectly formed on, indirectly connected to, or coupled to that component, layer, region, or part, such that one or more intervening components, layers, regions, or parts may exist. Furthermore, this can uniformly mean direct or indirect connection or coupling, as well as integral or non-integral connection or coupling. For example, when a layer, region, or component is referred to as "electrically connected" or "electrically coupled" to another layer, region, or component, that layer, region, or component may be directly electrically connected or coupled to that other layer, region, or component, or one or more intermediary layers, regions, or components may exist. One or more intermediary components may include switches, transistors, resistors, inductors, capacitors, and / or diodes, etc. Accordingly, connections are not limited to those shown in the drawings or provided in the detailed description, and may also include other types of connections. In describing embodiments, the expression for connection refers to an electrical connection unless explicitly described as a direct connection, and "direct connection / direct coupling" or "directly on" means that one component is directly connected or coupled to another component or on another component without any intermediate components.

[0065] Furthermore, in this specification, when a portion of a layer, film, region, or plate is formed on another portion, the forming direction is not limited to the upward direction, but includes forming the portion on a side surface or in the downward direction. Conversely, when a portion of a layer, film, region, or plate is formed "below" another portion, this includes not only the case where the portion is "directly below" the other portion, but also the case where there is another portion further between the portion and the other portion. Similarly, other expressions describing the relationship between components, such as "between" and "immediately between," or "adjacent to" and "directly adjacent to," can be interpreted similarly. It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as "between" two elements or layers, the element or layer can be the only element or layer between the two elements or layers, or there may be one or more intervening elements or layers.

[0066] For the purposes of this disclosure, expressions such as “at least one of,” “any one,” or “one or more of” modify the entire list of elements and do not modify any individual element of the list when placed after the list of elements. For example, “at least one of X, Y, and Z” and “at least one selected from the group consisting of X, Y, and Z” can be interpreted as any combination of two or more of X, Y, Z only (such as, for example, XYZ, XY, YZ, and XZ) or any variations thereof. Similarly, the expression “at least one of A and B” can include A, B, or A and B. As used herein, “or” generally means “and / or,” and the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the items in the relevant list. For example, the expression “A and / or B” can include A, B, or A and B. Similarly, expressions such as “at least one of,” “multiple,” “one of,” and other prepositional phrases modify the entire list of elements and do not modify any individual element of the list when placed before or after the list of elements. When “C to D” is stated, it means above C and below D, unless otherwise stated.

[0067] It will be understood that although the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms do not correspond to a specific order, position, or priority, and are used only to distinguish one element, component, region, area, layer, part, or section from another. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer, or part described below may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer, or part without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Describing an element as a “first” element does not require or imply the existence of a second element or other elements. The terms “first,” “second,” etc., may also be used herein to distinguish elements of different classes or groups. For brevity, the terms “first,” “second,” etc., may respectively represent “first class (or first group),” “second class (or second group),” etc.

[0068] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, the singular form “a” is intended to include the plural form as well, and the plural form is intended to include the singular form, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that, when used in this specification, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” indicate the presence of the stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0069] When one or more embodiments can be implemented differently, a particular process sequence may be performed differently from the described sequence. For example, two consecutively described processes may be performed substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order of their description.

[0070] As used herein, the terms “substantially,” “approximately,” “roughly,” and similar terms are used as approximate terms and not as terms of degree, and are intended to take into account the inherent deviations of measured or calculated values ​​that would be recognized by those skilled in the art. For example, “substantially” can include a range of ±5% of the corresponding value. Taking into account the measurement in question and the errors associated with the measurement of a particular quantity (i.e., limitations of the measurement system), “approximately” or “roughly” as used herein includes the value and means within an acceptable range of deviation for that particular value as determined by those skilled in the art. For example, “approximately” can mean within one or more standard deviations of the value, or within ±30%, ±20%, ±10%, ±5% of the value. Furthermore, when describing embodiments of this disclosure, the use of “may” refers to “one or more embodiments of this disclosure.” Additionally, the expression “identical” can mean “substantially identical.” In other words, the expression “identical” can include a range that would be tolerated by those skilled in the art. Other expressions may also be those from which “substantially” has been omitted.

[0071] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) shall have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It will be further understood that terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries shall be interpreted as having the same meaning as they have in the context of the relevant technology and / or this specification, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein.

[0072] Figure 1 A top view of a battery module 2000 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The battery module 2000 may include a plurality of battery cells 200 stacked along a certain direction and a busbar assembly 1 disposed on the battery cells 200.

[0073] The battery cells 200 can be arranged in multiple rows (e.g., in conjunction with...). Figure 1 In one or more corresponding embodiments, the battery cells 200 can be arranged in two rows and can be configured as stacked units.

[0074] refer to Figure 1 The busbar assembly 1 may include a busbar support 10, a busbar 20 that electrically connects adjacent battery cells 200 arranged in the same row, a central busbar 30 that electrically connects battery cells 200 arranged in different rows, and a flexible printed circuit board assembly 40.

[0075] The busbar bracket 10 may be made of insulating material. The busbar bracket 10 can prevent unnecessary or undesirable electrical connections (e.g., electrical connections that the user does not want) between the battery module 2000 and external components.

[0076] The busbar support 10 may have or may define a first opening 110 that exposes the electrode terminals 210 of the battery cells 200 and a second opening 130 that is positioned to correspond to the position of the vent 230 of each of the battery cells 200.

[0077] Busbar 20 may be located on (or inside) the first opening 110, and electrode terminals 210 exposed through the first opening 110 may be connected to busbar 20. Busbar 20 may be positioned to connect two adjacent electrode terminals 210 to electrically connect the adjacent electrode terminals 210. Busbar 20 may be made of a conductive material.

[0078] For example, if electrode terminals 210 of the same polarity are arranged on the same line, then the battery cells 200 can be connected in series via busbar 20; and if electrode terminals 210 of different polarities are alternately arranged on the same line, then the battery cells 200 can be connected in parallel via busbar 20. This disclosure is not limited thereto, and the battery cells 200 can be arranged in a mixture of series and parallel connections.

[0079] In one or more embodiments, a battery cell 200 can be electrically connected to other battery cells 200 arranged in other rows via a central busbar 30. For example, among the electrode terminals 210 of battery cells 200 arranged in different rows, electrode terminals 210 located on adjacent sides of the central busbar 30 can be connected to each other via the central busbar 30. In one or more embodiments, parallel connections and series connections are possible.

[0080] The flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 can be electrically connected to various electronic devices (e.g., temperature sensors and heavy-duty connector (HDC) terminals). The flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 can also be connected to busbar 20 and central busbar 30. The flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 can be electrically connected to the battery cell 200 via busbar 20 and can transmit information related to the battery cell 200 (e.g., voltage and current information) to the outside.

[0081] The connection between the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 and the busbar 20 can be made indirectly via nickel tabs or directly via soldering. In one or more embodiments, the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 can be electrically connected to the outside via a wire assembly 490.

[0082] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40, and Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 Bottom view of the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40.

[0083] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 may include a flexible first printed circuit board 410 (hereinafter referred to as the first substrate for convenience) and a flexible second printed circuit board 430 (hereinafter referred to as the second substrate for convenience) having a shape different from that of the first substrate 410.

[0084] The first substrate 410 may include a first main line 4110, a plurality of first branch lines 4130 extending from the first main line 4110, and a first connector 4150 located on a first side of the first main line 4110.

[0085] The first main line 4110 can be configured to extend along the stacking direction of the battery cells 200 on the busbar support 10. The first branch line 4130 can be configured to extend from the first main line 4110 in a direction toward the electronic device, the busbar 20, or the central busbar 30. The first substrate 410 can be electrically connected to the components via the first branch line 4130.

[0086] The second substrate 430 may also include a second main line 4310, a second branch line 4330, and a second connector 4350 that can be arranged similarly to the components of the first substrate 410. However, the shape of the second substrate 430 may differ from the shape of the first substrate 410. For example, the length of the second main line 4310 and the number and arrangement of the second branch lines 4330 may differ from the length of the first main line 4110 and the number and arrangement of the first branch lines 4130, respectively.

[0087] The first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430 can be arranged such that the corresponding branches 4130 and 4330 face outwards, rather than between the corresponding substrates 410 and 430, to achieve electrical connection therebetween. The first connector 4150 and the second connector 4350 can be arranged such that they are adjacent to each other.

[0088] The first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430 can be electrically connected to each other via a first connector 4150 and a second connector 4350. Connectors 4150 and 4350 may have through holes 4151 and 4351, respectively.

[0089] The inside or interior of the perforations 4151 and 4351 may be plated with an insulating material, so that if conductive material is received in the perforations 4151 and 4351, then current may flow between each of the connectors 4150 and 4350 and the conductive material.

[0090] The flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 may further include a fixing member 450 having a first surface on which a first connector 4150 and a second connector 4350 are disposed and capable of providing fixed positions for the first connector 4150 and the second connector 4350, and may also include a socket 470 disposed on a second surface of the fixing member 450. A detailed description of the fixing member 450 and the socket 470 will be provided later.

[0091] The wire assembly 490 can be housed in the socket 470, and the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 can be electrically connected to an external device via the wire assembly 490. For example, the wire assembly 490 can be a wire harness.

[0092] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a portion of the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 is shown, and Figure 5 The information transmission path in the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 is shown. Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of the first substrate 410 or the second substrate 430 is shown.

[0093] refer to Figure 4 The flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 may include a base film 401, an adhesive layer 403, and a circuit pattern layer 405. The adhesive layer 403 may be coated on the base film 401, and the circuit pattern layer 405 may be disposed on the adhesive layer 403.

[0094] In one or more embodiments, the circuit pattern layer 405 and the base film 401 may be connected by an adhesive layer 403. The base film 401 may be made of a material with excellent flexibility and insulation properties. For example, the base film 401 may be made of polyimide (PI).

[0095] In one or more embodiments, the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 may further include an insulating layer 407 covering the circuit pattern layer 405. In one or more embodiments, an additional adhesive layer 403' may be applied while positioning or setting the circuit pattern layer 405 to flatten the insulating layer 407. The insulating layer 407 may then be placed on the additional adhesive layer 403'.

[0096] The flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may have a single-layer structure in which a circuit pattern layer 405 is disposed on a first side of a base film 401.

[0097] refer to Figure 5It can be confirmed that information related to the battery cell 200 transmitted to the outside via the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 is transmitted to the outside via each of the branches 4130 and 4330 of the first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430 of the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40, and via each of the connectors 4150 and 4350 (see reference). Figure 5 (The direction of the arrow shown).

[0098] If a flexible printed circuit board with a single width dimension is manufactured, then, as in general flexible printed circuit boards, the circuit pattern layers can be manufactured in multiple layers (e.g., at least two layers) to obtain information from the positive electrode terminal of the battery cell and transmit that information to the outside.

[0099] However, the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 according to one or more embodiments of this disclosure can be made by dividing the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 into a plurality of substrates (e.g., dividing it into two substrates) and by providing a circuit pattern layer 405 on the substrate (see Figure 4 The configuration is a single layer, and the segmented substrates are electrically connected to simplify the signal transmission path.

[0100] Figure 6 and Figure 7 A schematic diagram is shown illustrating the number of first substrates 410 and second substrates 430 that can be manufactured from materials (e.g., base films) having corresponding dimensions, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 6 A view is shown to illustrate the number of the first substrate 410, and Figure 7 A view is shown to illustrate the number of the second substrate 430.

[0101] refer to Figure 6 The first substrate 410 can be manufactured by arranging pairs of identical (e.g., similarly configured) first substrates 410, in which their respective upper, lower, left, and right sides are reversed relative to each other, facing each other. For example, two first substrates 410 can be reversed relative to each other and can be arranged to face each other. Pairs of first substrates 410 can be arranged sequentially while maintaining the same pattern. If the first substrates 410 are arranged in this way, the space between a pair of first substrates 410 and the space between adjacent pairs of first substrates 410 can be reduced or minimized.

[0102] exist Figure 6 The diagram shows twenty first substrates 410 that can be manufactured from materials of corresponding dimensions. However, in one or more embodiments, the number of first substrates 410 manufactured may vary depending on the size of the material.

[0103] refer to Figure 7The second substrate 430 can also be manufactured by arranging two second substrates 430, in which their respective upper, lower, left and right sides are reversed, so that they face each other. Figure 7 The material of the second substrate 430 shown has the same properties as... Figure 6 The second substrate 430, made of the same material as the first substrate 410, is manufactured by arranging materials in the same pattern as the first substrate 410. Figure 7 In one or more corresponding embodiments, a total of eighteen second substrates 430 can be manufactured, and similar to the first substrate 410, the number of second substrates 430 manufactured can also vary depending on the size of the material.

[0104] To manufacture a flexible printed circuit board assembly 40, a first substrate 410 and a second substrate 430 can be used. In one or more embodiments, the first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430, which can be used to form a total of eighteen flexible printed circuit board assemblies 40 using the two materials, can be manufactured, and two additional first substrates 410 can be manufactured.

[0105] Figure 8 A schematic diagram is shown to illustrate the number of general-purpose flexible printed circuit boards 1000 that can be manufactured from a single material. Figure 8 The flexible printed circuit board 1000 shown corresponds to one or more embodiments of a flexible printed circuit board assembly in which a first substrate and a second substrate are integrally formed. In one or more embodiments, for Figure 8 The flexible printed circuit board 1000 shown is made of a material that is compatible with... Figure 6 and Figure 7 The dimensions of the material shown are the same.

[0106] As from Figure 8 As can be seen from this, space is provided for approximately 8.5 flexible printed circuit boards 1000 to be arranged in one material, and it can be seen from this that the actual number of flexible printed circuit boards 1000 that can be manufactured is 8.

[0107] In the case of such a flexible printed circuit board 1000, it can be seen that if space is not provided for manufacturing the entire flexible printed circuit board 1000 using a single material for manufacturing, then that space may be wasted or not optimized.

[0108] As can be seen, unlike the embodiments of this disclosure, the flexible printed circuit board 1000 fails to make efficient use of the material space during the manufacturing process and wastes more space than when manufacturing the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 according to this disclosure. Accordingly, the number of products that can be manufactured may be reduced, and the manufacturing cost may increase.

[0109] For example, by comparing the number of general-purpose flexible printed circuit boards 1000 manufactured with the number of flexible printed circuit board assemblies 40 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, it can be confirmed that a total of eighteen flexible printed circuit board assemblies 40 can be manufactured using two materials of the same size, two additional first substrates 410 can be manufactured, and only a total of 16 general-purpose flexible printed circuit boards 1000 can be manufactured.

[0110] In one or more embodiments, it can be seen that 12.5% ​​of additional flexible printed circuit boards capable of performing the same task can be manufactured, and furthermore, up to the first substrate 410 can be manufactured.

[0111] In one or more embodiments, the first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430 constituting the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 can be manufactured separately, thereby reducing or minimizing waste space in the material that may occur during the manufacturing process. One or more embodiments can improve manufacturing efficiency and can lead to cost reduction.

[0112] Manufacturing method of flexible printed circuit board assembly

[0113] Figure 9 and Figure 10 A flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0114] refer to Figure 9 The manufacturing method of the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 may include operation S100 of separately manufacturing a first substrate 410 and a second substrate 430.

[0115] As described above, by manufacturing the first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430 separately, the waste space that may occur during the manufacturing process of each of the substrates 410 and 430 can be reduced or minimized, and thus the number of first substrates 410 and second substrates 430 manufactured can be increased.

[0116] The method of manufacturing the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 may further include an operation S200 of electrically connecting the first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430. The first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430 may be interconnected to serve as a single flexible printed circuit board.

[0117] refer to Figure 10 The operation S200 of electrically connecting the first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430 may include the operation S210 of arranging the first connector 4150 and the second connector 4350 on the first surface of the fixing member 450.

[0118] In one or more embodiments, the operation S200 of electrically connecting the first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430 may further include the operation S220 of connecting the socket 470 to the second surface of the fixing member 450 and the operation S230 of inserting the wire assembly 490 into the socket 470. (Refer to...) Figure 12 and Figure 13 Describe each step of the operation in detail.

[0119] Figure 11 This is a view illustrating operation S210, in which the first connector 4150 and the second connector 4350 are arranged on the first surface of the fixing member 450. In one or more embodiments, the first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430 may be arranged adjacent to each other.

[0120] Adhesive 4510 may be applied to the first surface of the fixing member 450. In one or more embodiments, adhesive 4510 may be provided between each of the connectors 4150 and 4350 and the first surface of the fixing member 450. If each of the connectors 4150 and 4350 is positioned on the first surface of the fixing member 450, then the position of each of the connectors 4150 and 4350 may be secured.

[0121] The fixing member 450 may be or may include a rigid printed circuit board (PCB). Compared with the flexible first substrate 410 and the flexible second substrate 430, the fixing member 450 has strong rigidity, which allows the position of each of the connectors 4150 and 4350 to be properly fixed, and can reduce or prevent deformation of each of the connectors 4150 and 4350.

[0122] The fixing member 450 may have a shape that combines the shape of the first connector 4150 and the shape of the second connector 4350, and each of the connectors 4150 and 4350 may be positioned on the fixing member 450. For example, the fixing member 450 may include a body having a generally rectangular shape. The body is provided with through holes 4530 having the same shape and number as the through holes 4151 of the first connector 4150 and the through holes 4351 of the second connector 4350. In one or more embodiments, the through holes 4151 and 4351 may overlap with the through holes 4530, thereby allowing the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 to have openings extending from a second surface of the fixing member 450 to the upper surface of each of the connectors 4150 and 4350.

[0123] Figure 12This is a view showing operation S220 of connecting the socket 470 to the second surface of the fixing member 450. The socket 470 may have a plurality of pins 4710 arranged to correspond to the positions of the through holes 4530 and the through holes 4151 and 4351, and the pins 4710 may be received through the through holes 4530 and the through holes 4151 and 4351.

[0124] Pin 4710 may be made of a conductive material. In one or more embodiments, if pin 4710 is in contact with a conductive material plated within each via 4530, then current may flow between the first substrate 410, the second substrate 430, and the socket 470.

[0125] Figure 13 This is a view illustrating operation S230 of inserting the wire assembly 490 into the socket 470. (Reference) Figure 13 The pins 4710 of the socket 470 can pass through the second surface of the fixing member 450 and partially protrude into the upper surface of each of the connectors 4150 and 4350.

[0126] In one or more embodiments, the connection between the first connector 4150 and the second connector 4350 can be fixed by welding, and the first substrate 410 and the second substrate 430 can be electrically connected to each other. However, any method that can be used to form an electrical connection between metals (including welding) can be used without limitation.

[0127] In one or more embodiments, if the lead assembly 490 is housed in the socket 470, the flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 can be electrically connected to an external device connected to the second surface of the lead assembly 490.

[0128] The flexible printed circuit board assembly 40 can be manufactured as a single-layer structure, such that information related to the battery cell 200 received from each of the branches 4130 and 4330 can be transmitted to the outside (e.g., to an external device) via the wire assembly 490 without being cross-transmitted at each of the connectors 4150 and 4350.

[0129] In one or more embodiments, information related to the battery cell 200 received from the first branch 4130 may be transmitted to the outside via a portion of pin 4710 received in the through hole 4151 of the first connector 4150 and the through hole 4530 of the fixing member 450, and information related to the battery cell 200 received from the second branch 4330 may be transmitted to the outside via another portion of pin 4710 received in the through hole 4351 of the second connector 4350 and the through hole 4530 of the fixing member 450.

[0130] In one or more embodiments, the wires connected to the first substrate 410 may be organized into a bundle, and the wires connected to the second substrate 430 may be organized into another bundle.

[0131] Although this disclosure has been described in conjunction with embodiments that are now considered practical, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but rather is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A flexible printed circuit board assembly, comprising: A first substrate includes: a first main line; a first branch line extending from the first main line; and a first connector on a first side of the first main line and having a through hole; and... A second substrate, separate from the first substrate, includes: a second main line; a second branch line extending from the second main line; and a second connector on a first side of the second main line and having a through hole. The first substrate and the second substrate are electrically connected through the first connector and the second connector.

2. The flexible printed circuit board assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: A socket includes pins configured to be received in the through-hole of the first connector and the through-hole of the second connector.

3. The flexible printed circuit board assembly according to claim 2, further comprising: A fixing member having a first surface and a second surface, the first connector and the second connector being arranged on the first surface, and the socket being connected to the second surface.

4. The flexible printed circuit board assembly according to claim 3, wherein, The fixing component includes a rigid printed circuit board.

5. The flexible printed circuit board assembly according to claim 3, wherein, An adhesive is provided between the fixing member and the first connector, and between the fixing member and the second connector.

6. The flexible printed circuit board assembly according to claim 3, wherein, The fixing member defines a through hole corresponding to the perforation, and The pins extend beyond the first connector and the second connector through the through-hole.

7. The flexible printed circuit board assembly according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the first substrate and the second substrate includes: The basement membrane has insulating and flexible properties; and A circuit pattern layer on the first surface of the base film.

8. The flexible printed circuit board assembly according to claim 2, further comprising: A wire assembly in the socket.

9. A battery module, comprising: Multiple battery cells; Busbars are arranged on the battery cells; as well as The flexible printed circuit board assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is electrically connected to the busbar.

10. A method for manufacturing a flexible printed circuit board assembly, the method comprising: A first substrate including a first connector on a first side and a second substrate including a second connector on a first side are manufactured separately; as well as The first substrate and the second substrate are electrically connected through the first connector and the second connector.

11. The manufacturing method according to claim 10, wherein, The step of electrically connecting the first substrate and the second substrate includes: The first connector and the second connector are arranged on the first surface of the fixing member; and Connect the socket to the second surface of the fixing member.

12. The manufacturing method according to claim 11, wherein, The step of electrically connecting the first substrate and the second substrate further includes: Insert the wire assembly into the socket.

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