FPC flexible circuit board detection device

Abstract

This invention discloses an FPC flexible circuit board testing device, relating to the technical field of flexible circuit board testing. It includes a conveyor, a bending test mechanism, and an image detection mechanism. A support frame is provided above the conveyor. The bending test mechanism is located on one side of the support frame and is used to test the flexible circuit board. The image detection mechanism is located on the other side of the support frame and is used to photograph and inspect the tested flexible circuit board. This application achieves bending tests on different parts of the FPC flexible circuit board through the bending test mechanism. This structure overcomes the limitations of the single bending method in existing technologies, accurately simulating complex bending conditions in actual use. It can fully stimulate potential defects such as cracks and circuit damage caused by fatigue bending of the FPC flexible circuit board, significantly improving the comprehensiveness and reliability of the test results. Finally, the FPC flexible circuit board is conveyed by the conveyor to an industrial camera for automatic image acquisition, realizing mechanized operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of flexible printed circuit board (FPC) testing, specifically to an FPC testing device. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of electronic devices towards thinner, lighter, smaller, and more multifunctional designs, Flexible Printed Circuits (FPCs) are widely used in various electronic terminal products such as smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices due to their advantages of flexibility, light weight, and high wiring density. In actual use, FPCs are often subjected to repeated bending. Long-term fatigue bending can easily lead to defects such as cracks, circuit breaks, and substrate damage, directly affecting the normal operation of electronic devices. Therefore, testing the bending performance of FPCs is a critical step before products leave the factory.

[0003] While existing FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) bending testing equipment can perform basic bending tests, it falls short in terms of the comprehensiveness and specificity of its test condition simulation. Most mainstream bending testing equipment currently employs a unidirectional reciprocating bending structure, capable of only performing simple bending actions at fixed angles or along fixed trajectories. This makes it difficult to simulate the complex bending conditions experienced by FPCs in real-world applications. This technical deficiency makes it difficult for existing testing equipment to elicit potential defects in FPCs during long-term fatigue bending, easily leading to situations where the test results are satisfactory but the board fails in actual use. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an FPC flexible circuit board testing device to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the prior art.

[0005] A flexible printed circuit board (FPC) testing device includes a conveyor, a bending test mechanism, and an image detection mechanism, wherein a support frame is provided above the conveyor. The bending test mechanism is located on one side of the support frame and is used to test the flexible circuit board; The image detection mechanism is located on the other side of the support frame and is used to take pictures of the flexible circuit board after testing.

[0006] Preferably, the bending test mechanism includes a fixed plate, a movable plate, a swing plate, a drive motor, and a drive plate. The fixed plate has two parts symmetrically arranged on the top plate and one side of the bottom plate of the support frame. The movable plate is slidably connected to the slide rail on the fixed plate by a slider. The movable plate is provided with a clamping component for fixing the end of the flexible circuit board. The swing plate is located between the movable plate and the fixed plate and is hinged to the fixed plate by a pin. The swing plate is provided with a rod inserted into the drive groove of the S-shaped structure on the movable plate. The end of the swing plate is symmetrically provided with two rubber columns that are rotatably connected to the swing plate. The drive motor is mounted on the side of the support frame and has a connecting plate on its output shaft. The two ends of the connecting plate are respectively hinged to one end of the drive plate by a pin. The other ends of the two drive plates are respectively hinged to the side plates of the corresponding movable plates by pins.

[0007] Preferably, the clamping assembly includes a threaded rod and a pressure plate, the threaded rod being connected to a vertical plate on the movable plate, and the pressure plate being disposed on the movable plate and facing the vertical plate.

[0008] Preferably, the image detection mechanism includes an industrial camera and a light source. The industrial camera is located at the lower end of the connecting rod at the bottom of the top plate, and the light source is a ring structure located below the industrial camera and at the lower end of the connecting rod at the bottom of the top plate.

[0009] Preferably, the side panel has an "L" shaped structure.

[0010] Preferably, the inner end of the threaded rod is provided with a rubber pressure head.

[0011] Preferably, the outer end of the threaded rod is provided with a handle.

[0012] Preferably, the lower end of the connecting rod is connected to the industrial camera via a fixing clamp.

[0013] Preferably, the lower end of the second connecting rod is connected to the light source via a second fixing clamp.

[0014] Preferably, a material box is provided on the front side of the conveyor.

[0015] The beneficial effects achieved by this invention are as follows: This application uses a clamping assembly to clamp and fix both ends of the FPC flexible circuit board. A bending test mechanism then coordinates the reciprocating vertical linear motion with the swinging motion of a pendulum. A drive motor rotates the connecting plate, which is then converted into a moving plate reciprocating vertical linear motion along a slide rail. Simultaneously, the pendant on the pendulum and the S-shaped drive groove on the moving plate work together to cause the pendulum to swing left and right, thus enabling bending tests on different parts of the FPC flexible circuit board. This structure overcomes the limitations of existing single bending methods, accurately simulating complex bending conditions in actual use. It can fully expose potential cracks and circuit damage caused by fatigue bending in the FPC flexible circuit board, significantly improving the comprehensiveness and reliability of the test results. Finally, a conveyor transports the FPC flexible circuit board to an industrial camera for automatic image capture, achieving mechanized operation. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a front view of the entire invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the support frame, bending test mechanism, and image detection mechanism of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the bending test mechanism of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the front side of the bending test mechanism of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the left side of the bending test mechanism of the present invention.

[0022] In the diagram, 1. Conveyor; 11. Material box; 2. Support frame; 21. Top plate; 22. Bottom plate; 3. Bending test mechanism; 31. Fixed plate; 311. Slide rail; 32. Moving plate; 321. Drive groove; 322. Side plate; 33. Clamping assembly; 331. Threaded rod; 332. Vertical plate; 333. Pressure plate; 334. Rubber pressure head; 335. Rotary handle; 34. Swing plate; 341. Insert rod; 35. Rubber column; 36. Drive motor; 37. Connecting plate; 38. Drive plate; 4. Image detection mechanism; 41. Industrial camera; 42. Connecting rod one; 43. Fixed clamp one; 44. Light source; 45. Connecting rod two; 46. Fixed clamp two. Detailed Implementation To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0023] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein in the specification of the application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims and drawings of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0024] The term "embodiment" as used herein means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of the phrase "embodiment" in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0025] like Figures 1-6 As shown, the present invention provides an FPC flexible circuit board testing equipment, including a conveyor 1, a bending test mechanism 3 and an image detection mechanism 4. A material box 11 is provided on the front side of the conveyor 1 to facilitate centralized storage and management of the FPC flexible circuit boards to be tested. A support frame 2 is provided above the conveyor 1. In addition, the bending test mechanism 3 is located on one side of the support frame 2 and is used to test the flexible circuit board. The bending test mechanism 3 includes a fixed plate 31, a moving plate 32, a swing plate 34, a drive motor 36 and a drive plate 38. The fixed plate 31 is provided with two plates symmetrically arranged on the top plate 21 and the bottom plate 22 on one side of the support frame 2. The moving plate 32 is slidably connected to the slide rail 311 on the fixed plate 31 by a slider. In addition, the movable plate 32 is provided with a clamping assembly 33 for fixing the end of the flexible circuit board. The clamping assembly 33 includes a threaded rod 331 and a pressure plate 333. The threaded rod 331 is connected to the vertical plate 332 on the movable plate 32. The outer end of the threaded rod 331 is provided with a handle 335, which makes it convenient for the operator to manually tighten or loosen the threaded rod 331. The inner end of the threaded rod 331 is provided with a rubber pressure head 334, which provides sufficient clamping force while protecting the surface of the FPC flexible circuit board from hard scratches. The pressure plate 333 is provided on the movable plate 32 and is directly opposite the vertical plate 332. However, the swing plate 34 is located between the moving plate 32 and the fixed plate 31 and is hinged to the fixed plate 31 by a pin. The swing plate 34 is provided with a rod 341 that is inserted into the drive groove 321 of the S-shaped structure on the moving plate 32. The end of the swing plate 34 is symmetrically provided with two rubber columns 35 that are rotatably connected to the swing plate 34 respectively. The drive motor 36 is mounted on the side of the support frame 2 and has a connecting plate 37 on its output shaft. The two ends of the connecting plate 37 are respectively hinged to one end of the drive plate 38 by a pin. The other ends of the two drive plates 38 are respectively hinged to the side plate 322 of the "L"-shaped structure on the side of the corresponding moving plate 32 by a pin. In summary, the bending test mechanism 3 can simulate complex and controllable bending actions, which is beneficial for discovering potential defects in FPC flexible circuit boards caused by fatigue bending. In addition, the image detection mechanism 4 is located on the other side of the support frame 2 and is used to take pictures of the flexible circuit board after testing. The image detection mechanism 4 includes an industrial camera 41 and a light source 44. The industrial camera 41 is located at the lower end of the connecting rod 42 at the bottom of the top plate 21. The lower end of the connecting rod 42 is connected to the industrial camera 41 through a fixing clamp 43. In addition, the light source 44 is a ring structure and is located below the industrial camera 41 and at the lower end of the connecting rod 45 at the bottom of the top plate 21. The lower end of the connecting rod 45 is connected to the light source 44 through the fixing clip 46. Detailed implementation methods and principles: During operation, the operator takes the FPC flexible circuit board to be tested out of the material box 11 on the front side of the conveyor 1, and passes both ends of the FPC flexible circuit board between the two rubber pillars 35 on the two swing plates 34 respectively, and then places it between the vertical plate 332 and the pressure plate 333. Then, the operator rotates the handle 335 at the outer end of the threaded rod 331 on the vertical plate 332, which drives the threaded rod 331 to move on the vertical plate 332, thereby pushing the rubber pressure head 334 at the inner end of the threaded rod 331 closer to the pressure plate 333, until the rubber pressure head 334 cooperates with the pressure plate 333 to clamp and fix the end of the FPC flexible circuit board. Then, the drive motor 36 is started. The output shaft of the drive motor 36 drives the connecting plate 37 to rotate. The rotational motion of the connecting plate 37 is converted into two moving plates 32 sliding along the slide rail 311 on the fixed plate 31 to perform reciprocating up and down linear motion. The moving plates 32 drive the FPC flexible circuit board to bend through the slider. As the moving plates 32 slide linearly, the insert rod 341 on the swing plate 34 is inserted into the S-shaped drive groove 321 on the moving plate 32, thereby driving the swing plate 34 to swing left and right through the rubber column 35. Due to the linear motion of the moving plates 32, the two rubber columns 35 can drive different parts of the FPC flexible circuit board to bend, completing the preset number of bending tests. After the bending test is completed, the drive motor 36 stops working, and the moving plate 32 is reset to the initial position under the drive of the drive plate 38. The operator rotates the handle 335 at the outer end of the threaded rod 331 in the opposite direction, causing the threaded rod 331 and the rubber pressure head 334 to move in the opposite direction, thereby releasing the clamping and fixing of the end of the FPC flexible circuit board. Then, the tested FPC flexible circuit board is placed on conveyor 1, which is then started to move the FPC flexible circuit board that has undergone the bending test. The activated industrial camera 41 takes comprehensive pictures of the FPC flexible circuit board below after the bending test. The ring light source 44 can improve the clarity of the FPC flexible circuit board image acquisition, which is convenient for subsequent accurate identification and detection of defects such as bending damage and cracks in the FPC flexible circuit board. Conveyor 1 will continue to transport the tested FPC flexible circuit board forward, so that the FPC flexible circuit board can move to the next station.

[0026] The embodiments of the present invention described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) testing device, characterized in that: It includes a conveyor (1), a bending test mechanism (3) and an image detection mechanism (4), and a support frame (2) is provided above the conveyor (1); The bending test mechanism (3) is located on one side of the support frame (2) and is used to test the flexible circuit board; The image detection mechanism (4) is located on the other side of the support frame (2) and is used to take pictures of the flexible circuit board after testing.

2. The FPC flexible circuit board testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bending test mechanism (3) includes a fixed plate (31), a movable plate (32), a swing plate (34), a drive motor (36), and a drive plate (38). The fixed plate (31) is provided with two top plates (21) and a bottom plate (22) on one side of the support frame (2). The movable plate (32) is slidably connected to the slide rail (311) on the fixed plate (31) by a slider. The movable plate (32) is provided with a clamping assembly (33) for fixing the end of the flexible circuit board. The swing plate (34) is located between the movable plate (32) and the fixed plate (31) and is connected to the fixed plate (38) by a pin. The fixed plate (31) is hinged, and the swing plate (34) is provided with a rod (341) that is inserted into the drive groove (321) of the S-shaped structure on the moving plate (32). The end of the swing plate (34) is symmetrically provided with two rubber columns (35) that are rotatably connected to the swing plate (34). The drive motor (36) is installed on the side of the support frame (2) and its output shaft is provided with a connecting plate (37). The two ends of the connecting plate (37) are respectively hinged to one end of the drive plate (38) by a pin. The other ends of the two drive plates (38) are respectively hinged to the side plate (322) of the corresponding moving plate (32) by a pin.

3. The FPC flexible circuit board testing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The clamping assembly (33) includes a threaded rod (331) and a pressure plate (333). The threaded rod (331) is connected to the vertical plate (332) on the moving plate (32). The pressure plate (333) is located on the moving plate (32) and is directly opposite the vertical plate (332).

4. The FPC flexible circuit board testing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The image detection mechanism (4) includes an industrial camera (41) and a light source (44). The industrial camera (41) is located at the lower end of the connecting rod one (42) at the bottom of the top plate (21). The light source (44) is a ring structure and is located below the industrial camera (41) and at the lower end of the connecting rod two (45) at the bottom of the top plate (21).

5. The FPC flexible circuit board testing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The side panel (322) has an "L" shaped structure.

6. The FPC flexible circuit board testing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inner end of the threaded rod (331) is provided with a rubber pressure head (334).

7. The FPC flexible circuit board testing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The outer end of the threaded rod (331) is provided with a handle (335).

8. The FPC flexible circuit board testing equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lower end of the connecting rod (42) is connected to the industrial camera (41) via a fixing clamp (43).

9. The FPC flexible circuit board testing equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lower end of the connecting rod 2 (45) is connected to the light source (44) via the fixing clamp 2 (46).

10. The FPC flexible circuit board testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: A material box (11) is provided on the front side of the conveyor (1).

Images